B4020 - ALSPAC EMPHASIS study of childhood height and DNA methylation - 21/03/2022

B number: 
B4020
Principal applicant name: 
Hannah Elliott | University of Bristol (United Kingdom)
Co-applicants: 
Professor Caroline Relton, Dr Matt Silver, Mr Prachand Issarapu, Dr Giriraj Chandak, Professor Caroline Fall
Title of project: 
ALSPAC EMPHASIS study of childhood height and DNA methylation
Proposal summary: 

The aim of this research is to determine the relationship between DNA methylation at the SOCS3 region and both height and mothers social class. Work leading up to this proposal has indicated that SOCS3 methylation may be associated with height and stunting in cohorts based in Lower Middle Income Countries (LMICs). Analysis in ALSPAC will help to answer whether these associations are also present in High Income Countries (HIC) such as the UK. Analysis of genetic data will determine the variance in DNA methylation determined by genetic and/or environment and the causal direction of any associations identified.

Impact of research: 
This project will define the relationship between SOCS3 methylation and SES/child height and allow us to make inferences about the role of SOCS3 in growth and stunting during childhood. Analysis conducted in this project will be published as a peer reviewed journal article.
Date proposal received: 
Friday, 4 March, 2022
Date proposal approved: 
Monday, 14 March, 2022
Keywords: 
Epidemiology, Child Height, Statistical methods, Epigenetic Epidemiology, Epigenetics, Growth, Mendelian randomisation