Research

The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (ISMMS) has two strong research programs, the Jaffe Food Allergy Institute and the Department of Preventative Medicine, that are investigating the immunobiology and environmental triggers of food allergies and pediatric asthma, as well as developing novel therapeutic approaches for them. Our goal is to broaden the scope of translational research inquiry to elucidate the genetic underpinnings of other childhood allergic conditions and pharmacologic responsiveness.

Our goal is to apply genetic information to improve outcomes for children born with congenital heart disease (CHD) and, ultimately, to prevent the disease. Among all birth defects, those affecting the heart remain the leading cause of infant mortality. While remarkable advances in cardiac surgery for infants and children have improved early morbidity, the advent of molecular medicine promises more significant advancements in the area of congenital heart disease. The Icahn School of Medicine has been at the forefront of the heart gene discovery process, primarily through the Center for Molecular Cardiology, led by MCHDI Director Bruce Gelb, MD, which is devoted to accelerating this research. Through these efforts we have identified disease genes for Char and Noonan syndromes and the Center is participating in the NHLBI-funded effort to accelerate gene discovery for CHD. 

Working closely with the Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment and the Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Center we are broadening our investigative scope of neurodevelopmental disorders to elucidate their genetic causes and then understand their disease mechanisms. Autism, attention deficit disorder, dyslexia, and mental retardation affect 10 to 15 percent of our nation’s children. Increasingly, we are pinpointing genetic causes for these phenomena, particularly larger scale genomic events resulting in losses or gains of thousands or even millions of DNA base pairs. Studies have also shown that we can treat some genetically induced deficits. This is the premise of our work.

We are working with the Department of Preventive Medicine and the Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism Institute to develop better preventive and treatment strategies for childhood obesity and diabetes.

The American epidemic of obesity is not limited to adults. Obesity among kids ages 6 to 11 has tripled in the past 30 years (from 6.5 percent in 1980 to 19.6 percent in 2008) and 41 percent of those entering kindergarten in New York City are overweight, which has led to a second-wave epidemic of diabetes in children of the type formerly seen only in adults. This second-wave epidemic creates grave concerns about long-term consequences like arteriosclerosis.

Our growing group of experts from the ISMMS Department of Psychiatry are performing advanced genetic, epidemiologic, and neuroimaging studies of eating disorders and neuropsychiatric disorders such as autism, schizophrenia, tics and Tourette’s disorder and the link to comorbid disorders including attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, anxiety, depression, and other mood disorders. We are also exploring topics including pediatric liver and kidney disease, cancer, stem cell biology, and inflammatory bowel syndrome. Our mandate in child health research expanded in 2014. Most of the faculty who came on board at that time were internal, and had established research programs. To further enhance this initiative, we have recruited new faculty, whose areas of expertise often have a scientific overlap with one or more of the existing areas of interest. Our diverse team works across multiple disciplines using innovative approaches to discover new breakthroughs and effective therapies for a range of child health diseases.

We also use statistical methods to analyze environmental exposures, employ zebrafish models, and conduct child health research in such areas as eating disorders, hepatic disorders, and the immunology of inflammatory bowel diseases.