Kieran O'Donnell, PhD

Associate Professor in the Child Study Center and Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences

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Appointments

Child Study Center

Fully Joint

Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences

Fully Joint

Contact Info

kieran.odonnell@yale.edu

Yale School of Medicine

Yale Child Study Center, 230 South Frontage Road

New Haven, CT 06519

United States

About

Titles

Associate Professor in the Child Study Center and Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences

Biography

Dr. O’Donnell is an Associate Professor in the Yale Child Study Center and the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences within the Yale School of Medicine where he leads the Health-Omics & Perinatal Epidemiology (HOPE) Research Group.

Dr. O’Donnell's research themes include Perinatal Mental Health and the Developmental Origins of Mental Health. His group integrates genomic and epigenomic data with measures of psychosocial risk to 1) better understand individual differences in maternal perinatal health and 2) identify the molecular processes that underlie the persisting influence of the prenatal environment on child/adolescent neurodevelopment and mental health. Dr. O'Donnell's research occurs in the context of a number of large prospective longitudinal cohorts as well as randomized controlled trials of psychosocial interventions in the US, Canada, UK, Viet Nam, and the Philippines.

Last Updated on September 29, 2025.

Appointments

Child Study Center
Associate Professor on Term
Fully Joint
Child Study Center
Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences
Associate Professor on Term
Fully Joint
Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences

Education & Training

Postdoctoral Fellow: Douglas Hospital Research Centre, McGill University (2016)

PhD: Imperial College London, Clinical Medicine (2011)

MSc: Institute of Psychiatry, Kings College London, Neuroscience

BSc (Hon): University of Westminster, Psychology

Research

Overview

Medical Research Interests

Biological Psychiatry; Depression, Postpartum; Molecular Epidemiology; Pregnant People

Public Health Interests

Biomarkers; Genetics, Genomics, Epigenetics; Global Health; Maternal & Child Health; Perinatal/Prenatal Health

ORCID
0000-0002-3935-1014

Research at a Glance

Yale Co-Authors

Frequent collaborators of Kieran O'Donnell's published research.

Hung Pham
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View 7 Common Publications
Adam Lombroso
Former YSM
View 2 Common Publications
Tara Thompson-Felix, MD
View Full Profile
View 2 Common Publications
Hugh Taylor, MD
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View Common Publication
James Leckman, MD, PhD
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View Common Publication
Joshua Warren, PhD
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Publications

2026

slideimp: efficient imputation of DNA methylation data
Pham H, Lombroso A, Cevik E, Taylor H, O’Donnell K. slideimp: efficient imputation of DNA methylation data. Bioinformatics 2026, 42: btag318. PMID: 42179165, PMCID: PMC13257852, DOI: 10.1093/bioinformatics/btag318.
Peer-Reviewed Original Research
MeSH Keywords
Timing of Exposure to Parental Depression From Pregnancy to Young Adulthood and Mental Health in Adult Offspring
Feibel A, Pham H, Glover V, O’Connor T, O’Donnell K. Timing of Exposure to Parental Depression From Pregnancy to Young Adulthood and Mental Health in Adult Offspring. JAMA Network Open 2026, 9: e264892. PMID: 41961501, PMCID: PMC13069460, DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2026.4892.
Peer-Reviewed Original Research
MeSH Keywords

2025

Sex-specific interaction effects of Syntaxin 1A coexpression network and childhood trauma on adult depressive symptoms
Arcego D, Dalmaz C, Pokhvisneva I, Wang Z, Barth B, Patel S, Xia Q, de Lima R, de Mendonça Filho E, Kobor M, O'Donnell K, Meaney M, Silveira P. Sex-specific interaction effects of Syntaxin 1A coexpression network and childhood trauma on adult depressive symptoms. EBioMedicine 2025, 123: 106062. PMID: 41380478, PMCID: PMC12752767, DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2025.106062.
Peer-Reviewed Original Research
Corrigendum to “A scoping review of functional genomics in perinatal depression”. [Front. Neuroendocrinol. 78 (2025) 101202]
Bruzzone S, Garre V, Høgh S, Frokjaer V, O'Donnell K, Eid R. Corrigendum to “A scoping review of functional genomics in perinatal depression”. [Front. Neuroendocrinol. 78 (2025) 101202]. Frontiers In Neuroendocrinology 2025, 79: 101219. PMID: 41176502, DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2025.101219.
Commentaries, Editorials and Letters
Consortium profile: the methylation, imaging and NeuroDevelopment (MIND) consortium
Schuurmans I, Mulder R, Baltramonaityte V, Lahtinen A, Qiuyu F, Rothmann L, Staginnus M, Tuulari J, Burt S, Buss C, Craig J, Donald K, Eriksson J, Felix J, Freeman T, Grassi-Oliveira R, Huels A, Hyde L, Jones S, Karlsson H, Karlsson L, Koen N, Lawn W, Mitchell C, Monk C, Mooney M, Muetzel R, Nigg J, Belangero S, Notterman D, Ong Y, O’Connor T, O’Donnell K, Pan P, Paunio T, Ryabinin P, Saffery R, Salum G, Seal M, Silk T, Stein D, Tan A, Teh A, Wang D, Zar H, Walton E, Cecil C. Consortium profile: the methylation, imaging and NeuroDevelopment (MIND) consortium. Molecular Psychiatry 2025, 31: 1177-1189. PMID: 40914754, PMCID: PMC12514860, DOI: 10.1038/s41380-025-03203-w.
Peer-Reviewed Reviews, Practice Guidelines, Standards, and Consensus Statements
MeSH Keywords
A scoping review of functional genomics in perinatal depression
Bruzzone S, Garre V, Høgh S, Frokjaer V, O'Donnell K, Eid R. A scoping review of functional genomics in perinatal depression. Frontiers In Neuroendocrinology 2025, 78: 101202. PMID: 40581107, DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2025.101202.
Peer-Reviewed Reviews, Practice Guidelines, Standards, and Consensus Statements
MeSH Keywords
Impact of age-related changes in buccal epithelial cells on pediatric epigenetic biomarker research
Merrill S, Konwar C, Fatima F, Dever K, MacIsaac J, Letourneau N, Giesbrecht G, Dewey D, England-Mason G, Lewis C, Wang D, Teh A, Meaney M, Gonzalez A, Noll J, De Weerth C, Bush N, O’Donnell K, Stewart S, Kobor M. Impact of age-related changes in buccal epithelial cells on pediatric epigenetic biomarker research. Nature Communications 2025, 16: 609. PMID: 39800776, PMCID: PMC11725590, DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-55909-8.
Peer-Reviewed Original Research
MeSH Keywords

2024

Predictors of Participation in a Perinatal Text Message Screening Protocol for Maternal Depression and Anxiety: Prospective Cohort Study
Barnwell J, Robert C, Nguyen T, Davis K, Gratton C, Elgbeili G, Pham H, Meaney M, Montreuil T, O'Donnell K. Predictors of Participation in a Perinatal Text Message Screening Protocol for Maternal Depression and Anxiety: Prospective Cohort Study. JMIR Pediatrics And Parenting 2024, 7: e53786. PMID: 39361419, PMCID: PMC11487212, DOI: 10.2196/53786.
Peer-Reviewed Original Research
Maternal Adverse Childhood Experiences and Biological Aging During Pregnancy and in Newborns
Dye C, Alschuler D, Wu H, Duarte C, Monk C, Belsky D, Lee S, O’Donnell K, Baccarelli A, Scorza P. Maternal Adverse Childhood Experiences and Biological Aging During Pregnancy and in Newborns. JAMA Network Open 2024, 7: e2427063. PMID: 39120899, PMCID: PMC11316241, DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.27063.
Peer-Reviewed Original Research
MeSH Keywords
Differential interactions between gene expressions and stressors across the lifespan in major depressive disorder
Wang R, Su Y, O'Donnell K, Caron J, Meaney M, Meng X, Li Y. Differential interactions between gene expressions and stressors across the lifespan in major depressive disorder. Journal Of Affective Disorders 2024, 362: 688-697. PMID: 39029669, DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2024.07.069.
Peer-Reviewed Original Research

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Academic Achievements & Community Involvement

Activities

activity
McGill University
07/01/2020 - PresentProfessional OrganizationsAdjunct Professor
activity
Ludmer Center for Neuroinformatics & Mental Health
05/30/2016 - PresentProfessional OrganizationsInvestigator
activity
Scientific Reports
02/03/2017 - PresentJournal ServiceEditor
activity
Postpartum Support International-Advisory Council
01/29/2021 - PresentAdvisory BoardsBoard Member
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activity
Learning Clubs
07/01/2020 - PresentResearch
Details

View full list of activities

Honors

honor
NARSAD Young Investigator
01/01/2020National AwardBrain & Behavior Research Foundation
Details
honor
CIFAR Fellow
07/01/2019International AwardCanadian Institute For Advanced Research (CIFAR) Child & Brain Development Program
Details
honor
FRSQ Research Fellow (Chercheur Boursier)
07/01/2019International AwardThe Quebec Health Research Fund (Fonds de recherche Santé- Québec)
Details
honor
CIFAR Global Scholar
07/01/2016International AwardCanadian Institute For Advanced Research
Details

News & Links

Media

From Discovery to Impact Symposium - Women’s Health Research at Yale & SWHR
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News

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Related Links

Get In Touch

Contacts

kieran.odonnell@yale.edu

Mailing Address

Yale School of Medicine

Yale Child Study Center, 230 South Frontage Road

New Haven, CT 06519

United States

Events

Sep 20268Tuesday

Everyone
1:00 PM2:00 PM
Linda Mayes, MD
Yale Child Study Center Grand Rounds
2026-2027 Opening Session
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Sep 202629Tuesday

Everyone
1:00 PM2:00 PM
Christopher Pittenger, MD, PhD
Yale Child Study Center Grand Rounds
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Oct 202620Tuesday

Everyone
1:00 PM2:00 PM
Ashley J. Thomas, PhD
Yale Child Study Center Grand Rounds
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Appointments

Contact Info

Titles

Biography

Appointments

Child Study Center

Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences

Other Departments & Organizations

Education & Training

Overview

Medical Research Interests

Public Health Interests

ORCID

Research at a Glance

Yale Co-Authors

Hung Pham

Adam Lombroso

Tara Thompson-Felix, MD

Hugh Taylor, MD

James Leckman, MD, PhD

Joshua Warren, PhD

Publications

2026

2025

2024

Activities

McGill University

Ludmer Center for Neuroinformatics & Mental Health

Scientific Reports

Postpartum Support International-Advisory Council

Learning Clubs

Honors

NARSAD Young Investigator

CIFAR Fellow

FRSQ Research Fellow (Chercheur Boursier)

CIFAR Global Scholar

Media

News

Yale Ob/Gyn's 2026 C. Lee Buxton and Graduation Day

Women’s Health Research at Yale and SWHR’s Symposium Highlights the Power of Collaboration to Advance Women’s Health Research

Recognizing Long-Term Service at Yale Child Study Center

Parental Depression: How Does Timing Impact Mental Health in Adult Offspring?

Related Links

Contacts

Events

Yale Child Study Center Grand Rounds

Yale Child Study Center Grand Rounds

Yale Child Study Center Grand Rounds

Parental Depression: How Does Timing Impact Mental Health in Adult Offspring?