1. Name of Activity: Birth Defects and Public Health Genetics

2. Project leader: Michael Brimacombe, Ph.D., Associate Professor Department of Preventive Medicine & Community Health, NJMS � UMDNJ and SPH � UMDNJ. E-mail: brimacmb@umdnj.edu

3. Brief statement of mission and/or vision:

The prevention of birth defects and developmental disorders is a key component of Public Health. The use of early detection methods, many related to genetics will play a large role in this effort. Currently, fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) and Autism are ongoing CDC funded activities.

4. Collaborators:

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome:

Dr. Susan Adubato, Department of Pediatrics � NJMS, adubatsu@umdnj.edu

Dr. B. Zimmerman-Bier, Department of Pediatrics � NJMS zimmerba@umdnj.edu

Autism:

Dr. X. Ming, mingxu@umdnj.edu

Dr. W. Zahorodny, zahorodn@umdnj.edu

Dr. F. Desposito, desposfr@umdnj.edu

5. Activities:

FAS Online course, NJ FAS RTC education and training activities. Ongoing CDC Autism Prevalence study (epidemiology).

6. Publications from project:

�Comprehensive Approaches To the Screening, Diagnosis & Prevention of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome in New Jersey,� (2005). M. Brimacombe , S. Adubato, D. Cohen, A. Wilson. JFAS Intl. In press.

7. Other related websites:

N/A

8. Opportunities for students:

Several MPH fieldwork projects have been conducted (list here). Opportunities exist for doctoral level research in these areas. Please contact Dr. Brimacombe if interested. We also occasionally have open data management positions in some of these projects.

9. Opportunities for volunteers: none currently.

Date revised: 3/30/05