Latest News from Fernandez Lab

Yale researchers are improving the treatment of childhood anxiety by investigating all aspects of the disorder, down to the molecular level.

This week at Yale School of Medicine (YSM): Researchers aim toward treatments for Parkinson's disease, evaluate wearable sensors for assessing knee osteoarthritis, and develop recommendations for when to evaluate patients for axial spondyloarthritis.

Yale Child Study Center is launching a two-year initiative funded by Bukhman Philanthropies to bring modern AI and machine learning tools to child and adolescent mental health research.

Many parents seek help when their child shows changes like anxiety or sleep trouble. Yale Child Study Center explains what families can expect when they do.

A Yale Child Study Center trio-genomics study links hair-pulling and skin-picking to inherited OCD risk scores and rare DNA variants, hinting at shared brain pathways.

Yale Child Study Center researchers emphasize that trichotillomania (repeated hair-pulling) and excoriation disorder (repeated skin-picking) are real, impairing health conditions. The two disorders are part of a group called body-focused repetitive behaviors (BFRBs), and a recent study looked at what kinds of genetic factors might contribute to BFRBs.

Trichotillomania (repeated hair-pulling) and excoriation disorder (repeated skin-picking) were the focus of a recent study at Yale Child Study Center. The two disorders are part of a group called body-focused repetitive behaviors (BFRBs), and the study was designed to clarify what kinds of genetic factors might contribute to BFRBs. It also looked at whether BFRBs share genetic risk with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).

The Misophonia Research Fund (MRF) recently published a feature interview with Dr. Theomas Fernandez, highlighting ongoing research into the biological and genetic roots of misophonia. In the interview, Dr. Fernandez outlines foundational research aimed at moving the field from symptom management toward treating the underlying causes of misophonia. He highlights his lab's approach to mapping genetic contributions using family-based whole-genome DNA sequencing and shares early findings linking rare genetic changes to early brain development and anxiety. Additionally, the piece emphasizes how partnerships with the lived-experience community, such as advocacy group SoQuiet, profoundly shape the direction and communication of their work. Read the full interview to learn more about this evolving area of neurodevelopmental research and the collaborative efforts driving it forward.

Several internal awards recognizing outstanding contributions in various areas of service at Yale Child Study Center (YCSC) are awarded at an annual departmental event each spring. In addition, awards involving internal funding opportunities open to YCSC faculty, clinicians, or trainees are announced throughout each academic year. Recipients are announced internally on an ongoing basis, and an external announcement is typically published at the conclusion of each academic semester.