Janine LaSalle, PhD
Co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer
Dr. Janine LaSalle earned her B.S. in Biological Sciences from Randolph-Macon College and her Ph.D. in Immunology from Harvard University. She completed her postdoctoral training as a Howard Hughes-supported fellow in Human Genetics and Epigenetics at Boston Children’s Hospital.
Since 1997, Dr. LaSalle has been a faculty member at the UC Davis School of Medicine in the Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology. As an interdisciplinary scientist, her research focuses on epigenetic mechanisms at the intersection of gene-environment interactions, utilizing whole-genome sequencing and other multi-omic approaches.
Recognized as a leading expert in epigenetics, autism, and neurodevelopmental disorders, Dr. LaSalle has conducted over three decades of NIH-funded research. She has served on the scientific advisory boards of the Foundation for Prader-Willi Research, Dup15q Alliance, and the International Rett Syndrome Foundation.
Dr. LaSalle also holds leadership roles in several multidisciplinary research centers at UC Davis, including the Genome Center, the Environmental Health Sciences Center, and the Perinatal Origins of Disparities Center. Dr LaSalle led her research team and made a significant discovery identifying the novel gene Neuronal Hypoxia Inducible, Placenta Associated (NHIP) and its association with autism.