Janitza Montalvo-Ortiz, PhD
Assistant Professor of PsychiatryCards
About
Titles
Assistant Professor of Psychiatry
Biography
My research interests include the study of the genetic and epigenetic mechanisms associated with psychiatry disorders. I investigate how trauma-related events increase the vulnerability to develop mental disorders later in life.
Last Updated on June 12, 2025.
Appointments
Psychiatry
Assistant ProfessorPrimaryBiomedical Informatics & Data Science
Assistant ProfessorSecondary
Other Departments & Organizations
Education & Training
- PhD
- Northwestern University, Neuroscience (2014)
- BA
- University of Puerto Rico, Biology (2009)
Research
Publications
2026
Identifying novel gene dysregulation associated with opioid overdose death: a meta-analysis of differential gene expression in human prefrontal cortex
Carter J, Quach B, Willis C, Minto M, Hancock D, Montalvo-Ortiz J, Corradin O, Logan R, Walss-Bass C, Maher B, Johnson E. Identifying novel gene dysregulation associated with opioid overdose death: a meta-analysis of differential gene expression in human prefrontal cortex. Translational Psychiatry 2026 PMID: 42103735, DOI: 10.1038/s41398-026-03977-9.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchGene expressionHuman postmortem brain studiesPostmortem brain studiesGene expression data processingHuman prefrontal cortexRNA-seq dataOpioid overdose deathsPrefrontal cortexExpressed genesNeuronal plasticityEnrichment analysisGenetic driversBrain studiesOverdose deathsGenesTyrosine kinase receptorsAddiction casesMolecular studiesDEGsMolecular pathwaysKinase receptorsMeta-analysisExpressionStatistical powerPathwayAdvancing substance use disorder biology by studying underlying gene x environment interactions
Sidamon-Eristoff A, Rivera-Hernandez M, Huckins L, Montalvo-Ortiz J, Brennand K. Advancing substance use disorder biology by studying underlying gene x environment interactions. Current Opinion In Genetics & Development 2026, 97: 102443. PMID: 41702263, PMCID: PMC12919645, DOI: 10.1016/j.gde.2026.102443.Peer-Reviewed Reviews, Practice Guidelines, Standards, and Consensus StatementsConceptsComplex genetic disordersSubstance use disordersExposure to drugsGenetic variantsNoncoding genomic regionsHuman stem cell modelsGenomic regionsGene x environment interactionsDrugs of abuseHuman geneticsStem cell modelSubstance use disorder researchTarget genesMolecular mechanismsDrug exposureIn-uteroClinical studiesGenetic riskGenetic disordersAnimal modelsUse disorderCausal directionNeurodevelopmental windowGenesDirection of associationBuilding epigenetic risk scores of opioid use disorder: Insights from human postmortem brain data
Heredia-Negrón F, Nagamatsu S, Carrasquillo-Carrion K, Hurd Y, Rompala G, Melín K, Garcia-Vassallo G, Roche-Lima A, Montalvo-Ortiz J. Building epigenetic risk scores of opioid use disorder: Insights from human postmortem brain data. Translational Psychiatry 2026, 16: 62. PMID: 41513637, PMCID: PMC12873295, DOI: 10.1038/s41398-025-03792-8.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchGene interaction networksPostmortem brain dataEpigenetic landscapeGene candidatesDNA methylationInteraction networkEpigenetic mechanismsDNA hydroxymethylationFunctional pathwaysSignaling pathwayWnt signalingEmbryonic developmentMolecular underpinningsGenesFunctional analysisFunctional significanceOpioid use disorderOpioid signaling pathwaysUse disorderDNAPathwayRisk scoreBrain dataMethylationOUD
2025
Pandemic Perceptions and Healthcare Decisions: Exploring Perceived COVID-19 Threat’s Impact on Perinatal Healthcare in Florida
Ulfat F, Thayagabalu S, Iglesias A, Xu K, Reeder C, Smith E, Cardel M, Loop M, Rodriguez P, Montalvo-Ortiz J, Hall J, Silva L, Rodriguez M, Wen T, Smulian J, Louis-Jacques A, Francois M, Shenkman E, Lemas D. Pandemic Perceptions and Healthcare Decisions: Exploring Perceived COVID-19 Threat’s Impact on Perinatal Healthcare in Florida. Journal Of Prenatal And Perinatal Psychology And Health 2025, 38: 58-74. PMID: 39867431, PMCID: PMC11759499, DOI: 10.62858/apph241203.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchHealth service utilizationService utilizationPrenatal care providersMental health screeningPerinatal healthcareOnline Qualtrics surveyMental healthcareCare providersHealth behaviorsMothers of infantsImpact well-beingHealthcare decisionsHealthcare deliveryHealthcare providersHealth screeningGeneral healthcareHealthcare sitesClinical Research ConsortiumPregnant participantsPatient behaviorHealthcareQualtrics surveyCOVID-19COVID-19 threatHealthComputational whole-body-exposome models for global precision brain health
Ibáñez A, Duran-Aniotz C, Migeot J, Báez S, Fittipaldi S, Coronel-Oliveros C, Eyre H, Udeh-Momoh C, Zetterberg H, Alladi S, Sandi C, Robertson I, Franzen S, Farombi T, Montalvo Ortiz J, Seshadri S, Court F, Valdes-Sosa P, Xu J, Yu C, Grinberg L, Lawlor B, Sachdev P, Yaffe K, Hachinski V, Friston K, Tagliazucchi E, Santamaría-García H. Computational whole-body-exposome models for global precision brain health. Nature Communications 2025, 16: 11078. PMID: 41372244, PMCID: PMC12698732, DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-67448-3.Peer-Reviewed Reviews, Practice Guidelines, Standards, and Consensus StatementsMapping DNA Methylation Signatures to Identify Epigenetic Variation Across Subcortical Regions of the Human Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Brain
Li H, Liu Y, Shi Y, Wang J, Nguyen T, Xie Y, Zheng W, Cheng Y, Cruz D, Modliszewski J, Terwilliger R, Sliby A, Martínez-Magaña J, Montalvo-Ortiz J, Roache J, Averill L, Young-McCaughan S, Shiroma P, Huber B, Lewis D, Glausier J, Holtzheimer P, Friedman M, Zhang J, Peterson A, Abdallah C, Valizadeh A, Zhang X, Xu K, Krystal J, Duman R, Zhao H, Corcoran D, Williamson D, Girgenti M. Mapping DNA Methylation Signatures to Identify Epigenetic Variation Across Subcortical Regions of the Human Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Brain. Biological Psychiatry 2025, 100: 76-87. PMID: 41192574, PMCID: PMC12862789, DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2025.10.032.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchFear circuitryDNA methylationPost-traumatic stress disorderNeurobiology of PTSDTraumatic stress exposureDepressive disorder casesGene expressionSevere psychological traumaKetamine trialsPTSD patientsKetamine efficacyUnique biologyStress disorderDNA methylation signaturesCell typesMental disordersStress exposureSubcortical regionsPTSDPsychological traumaDisorder casesRNA-seqEpigenetic variationMethylation dataReference panelWhole-exome sequencing study of opioid dependence offers novel insights into the contributions of exome variants
Wang L, Nuñez Y, Martínez-Magaña J, Rivera-Hernandez M, Mao Z, Brennand K, Montalvo-Ortiz J, Kranzler H, Gelernter J, Zhou H. Whole-exome sequencing study of opioid dependence offers novel insights into the contributions of exome variants. Translational Psychiatry 2025, 15: 380. PMID: 41052974, PMCID: PMC12500996, DOI: 10.1038/s41398-025-03578-y.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsWhole-exome sequencing studiesGenetic architectureRisk variantsGene-based collapsing testCross-ancestry meta-analysisContribution of rare coding variantsGenome-wide association studiesWhole-exome sequencing dataRare Coding VariantsLow-frequency variantsParticipants of European ancestryLoss-of-functionExome variantsCross-ancestrySequence dataOpioid dependenceAssociation studiesMissense variantsTop genesEuropean ancestrySuggestive associationsRare variantsAfrican ancestryFunctional studiesYale-PennFunctional Genomics Studies of Psychiatric Disorders in Individuals of Latin American Populations: A Scoping Review
Porras L, Rodríguez‐Lausell I, Iglesias‐Maldonado G, Tuliao E, Martínez G, Leveque C, Tobon J, Eloy R, Belangero S, Bulik C, Loureiro C, Carvalho C, Ota V, Rovaris D, Storch E, Vacuan E, Velasquez M, Consortium L, Santoro M, Nicolini H, Atkinson E, Montalvo‐Ortiz J, Giusti‐Rodríguez P. Functional Genomics Studies of Psychiatric Disorders in Individuals of Latin American Populations: A Scoping Review. American Journal Of Medical Genetics Part B Neuropsychiatric Genetics 2025, 201: 227-245. PMID: 41014243, PMCID: PMC12917904, DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.b.33063.Peer-Reviewed Reviews, Practice Guidelines, Standards, and Consensus StatementsFunctional genomic studiesGenome-wide association studiesFunctional genomics researchSingle nucleotide polymorphismsGenomic studiesGenomic researchProportion of single nucleotide polymorphismsGenetic studiesVariants of small effectIndividuals of European ancestryFunctional genomics methodsNon-coding regionsGenetic studies of psychiatric disordersFunctional genomics approachCopy number variantsStudies of psychiatric disordersDNA methylation techniquesScoping ReviewPrecision medicine applicationsGenomic approachesGenomic methodsAssociation studiesPsychiatric genetic researchLatin American populationsGenetic basisDevelopmental timing of index trauma exposure and accelerated epigenetic aging in United States military veterans
Tamman A, Nagamatsu S, Cabrera-Mendoza B, Averill L, Dunn E, Krystal J, Gelernter J, Montalvo-Ortiz J, Polimanti R, Pietrzak R. Developmental timing of index trauma exposure and accelerated epigenetic aging in United States military veterans. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2025, 182: 107568. PMID: 41016323, DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2025.107568.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchUnited States military veteransTrauma typesTrauma exposureMilitary veteransNational Health and ResilienceExposure to interpersonal violenceInterpersonal violenceNon-interpersonal traumaVeterans StudySelf-reported ageTrauma characteristicsEpigenetic ageTrauma burdenVeteransChronological ageGrimAgeViolenceGreater oddsDevelopmental timeTraumaYounger ageRecencyLong-term health risksPotential confoundersAgeThe impact of chronic pain on brain gene expression
Collier L, Seah C, Hicks E, Holtzheimer P, Krystal J, Girgenti M, Huckins L, Johnston K, Alvarez V, Benedek D, Che A, Cruz D, Davis D, Girgenti M, Hoffman E, Holtzheimer P, Huber B, Kaye A, Krystal J, Labadorf A, Keane T, Logue M, McKee A, Marx B, Miller M, Noller C, Montalvo-Ortiz J, Pierce M, Scott W, Schnurr P, DiSano K, Stein T, Ursano R, Williamson D, Wolf E, Young K. The impact of chronic pain on brain gene expression. Pain 2025, 166: e689-e702. PMID: 40623285, PMCID: PMC12236435, DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000003707.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchChronic pain developmentChronic painPain developmentMechanisms of chronic pain developmentEffects of chronic painImpact of chronic painCell typesBrain gene expressionPain-related factorsGene expressionDifferential gene expressionBrain regionsSignificant public health burdenPublic health burdenImmune response pathwaysPain genesAmygdala cellsBasolateral amygdalaBrain regional levelsPainInvestigate sex differencesMigraineAssociated treatmentHealth burdenPostmortem donors
Academic Achievements & Community Involvement
News
News
- April 22, 2025
Groundbreaking Study Highlights Critical Gap in Global Mental Health Research
- September 18, 2024
Montalvo-Ortiz Featured on Atlas of Inspiring Hispanic/Latinx Scientists
- December 14, 2023
Montalvo-Ortiz Accepts Pamela Sklar Innovation Award For Latin American Genomics Consortium
- October 17, 2023
Construyendo Comunidad: Inaugural Conference Unites Latine Health Professionals