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Jason Stein

@steinlab.bsky.social

560 followers 315 following 11 posts

Associate to the professor, UNC Chapel Hill Dept of Genetics and UNC Neuroscience Center, studying genetic effects on brains, steinlab.org

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Jason Stein @steinlab.bsky.social · 27/10/2025

When performing TWAS using Edu Attainment GWAS (imperfect proxy for cognitive ability) on gene expression during VPA exposure, many significantly associated genes were identified, which were enriched in folate metabolism.

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Jason Stein @steinlab.bsky.social · 27/10/2025

Many common genetic variants impacted chromatin accessibility or gene expression in this population (black circles are significant interaction molQTLs). Showing that inherent genetic variation does impact response to drugs.

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Jason Stein @steinlab.bsky.social · 27/10/2025

VPA also strongly shuts down proliferation, measured through an EdU assay, consistent with prenatal VPA exposure leading to microcephaly.

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Jason Stein @steinlab.bsky.social · 27/10/2025

Genes differentially expressed due to VPA replicated previous work and were enriched in genes associated with autism through whole exome sequencing, again suggesting convergence.

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Jason Stein @steinlab.bsky.social · 27/10/2025

We found GWAS heritability for ASD and intelligence was strongly enriched within peaks differentially accessible due to VPA exposure, suggesting a convergence of genetic and environmental factors.

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Jason Stein @steinlab.bsky.social · 27/10/2025

We added VPA, an anticonvulsant and mood stabilizer where prenatal exposure is associated with intellectual disability and autism, as well as Li, used for treatment of bipolar disorder, to a population of genotyped human neural progenitors.

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