Sarah Barbara Abdallah, MD
she/her/hers
About
Titles
Clinical Fellow in the Child Study Center
Solnit Integrated Program, Yale Child Study CenterBiography
Solnit Integrated Child, Adolescent, and Adult Psychiatry Program (2020-2026)
After growing up in Ann Arbor, MI, I attended college at Yale and haven’t left since, although I’m still a Midwesterner at heart! My broad research interest is in applying experimental and computational genomics approaches to better understand the etiologies of early-onset neuropsychiatric disorders. I currently am in clinical training as a combined adult and child psychiatry resident at the Yale Child Study Center. I also work in the lab of Dr. Tom Fernandez to identify genes and rare genetic variants that contribute to OCD and Tourette’s. Outside of medicine, I enjoy running, playing touch rugby, and working on art/film projects.
Appointments
Child Study Center
Clinical FellowPrimary
Other Departments & Organizations
Education & Training
- MD
- Yale School of Medicine (2020)
- BS (Hon)
- Yale College, Psychology; Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology (2014)
Research
Publications
2023
Primary complex motor stereotypies are associated with de novo damaging DNA coding mutations that identify KDM5B as a risk gene
Fernandez T, Williams Z, Kline T, Rajendran S, Augustine F, Wright N, Sullivan C, Olfson E, Abdallah S, Liu W, Hoffman E, Gupta A, Singer H. Primary complex motor stereotypies are associated with de novo damaging DNA coding mutations that identify KDM5B as a risk gene. PLOS ONE 2023, 18: e0291978. PMID: 37788244, PMCID: PMC10547198, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0291978.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsRisk genesDe novo damaging variantsGene expression patternsWhole-exome DNA sequencingMid-fetal developmentAdditional risk genesHigh-confidence risk genesParent-child triosGene OntologyCell signalingExpression patternsCalcium ion transportFunctional convergenceCell cycleDamaging variantsGenesDNA sequencingDe novoASD probandsGenetic etiologyBiological mechanismsSequencingDNANetwork analysisIon transport
2022
Methemoglobinemia in a Patient Presenting with an Undisclosed Intentional Overdose
Gibson C, Abdallah S, Neumann N, Millard H, Riley S. Methemoglobinemia in a Patient Presenting with an Undisclosed Intentional Overdose. Harvard Review Of Psychiatry 2022, 30: 361-368. PMID: 36534838, DOI: 10.1097/hrp.0000000000000348.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchThe genetic basis of Gilles de la Tourette syndrome
Abdallah S, Realbuto E, Kaka M, Yang K, Topaloudi A, Paschou P, Scharf J, Fernandez T. The genetic basis of Gilles de la Tourette syndrome. International Review Of Movement Disorders 2022, 4: 3-38. DOI: 10.1016/bs.irmvd.2022.07.001.Peer-Reviewed Reviews, Practice Guidelines, Standards, and Consensus StatementsGenome-wide association studiesGenetic architectureCell type-specific gene expressionAssociation studiesComplex genetic architectureSingle causative geneFull genetic architectureSpecific gene expressionCandidate gene association studiesComprehensive genomic studiesCommon variant effectsPleiotropic gene effectsCommon genetic variantsGene association studiesEpigenetic marksGene regulationIndividual genesGenomic studiesLarge-scale approachGenetic basisGene expressionWhole-exome sequencing analysisBiological processesBiological pathwaysMendelian inheritance
2019
De Novo Damaging DNA Coding Mutations Are Associated With Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and Overlap With Tourette’s Disorder and Autism
Cappi C, Oliphant ME, Péter Z, Zai G, Conceição do Rosário M, Sullivan CAW, Gupta AR, Hoffman EJ, Virdee M, Olfson E, Abdallah SB, Willsey AJ, Shavitt RG, Miguel EC, Kennedy JL, Richter MA, Fernandez TV. De Novo Damaging DNA Coding Mutations Are Associated With Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and Overlap With Tourette’s Disorder and Autism. Biological Psychiatry 2019, 87: 1035-1044. PMID: 31771860, PMCID: PMC7160031, DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2019.09.029.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
2017
Systematic tissue-specific functional annotation of the human genome highlights immune-related DNA elements for late-onset Alzheimer’s disease
Lu Q, Powles RL, Abdallah S, Ou D, Wang Q, Hu Y, Lu Y, Liu W, Li B, Mukherjee S, Crane PK, Zhao H. Systematic tissue-specific functional annotation of the human genome highlights immune-related DNA elements for late-onset Alzheimer’s disease. PLOS Genetics 2017, 13: e1006933. PMID: 28742084, PMCID: PMC5546707, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1006933.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsTissue typesNon-coding elementsNon-coding genomeComplex human diseasesLate-onset Alzheimer's diseaseIndividual cell typesRelevant tissue typesGWAS traitsTranscriptomic annotationGenome annotationFunctional annotationDNA elementsHeritability enrichmentHuman genomeLarge international consortiaVariety of cellsGenomeHuman diseasesAnnotation dataCell typesGenetic variantsOrgan system categoriesComplex diseasesSimilar localizationAnnotation
Clinical Trials
Current Trials
Genetic and molecular studies of developmental neuropsychiatric disorders
HIC ID0301024156RoleSub InvestigatorPrimary Completion Date12/31/2025Recruiting ParticipantsGenderBoth
Links & Media
News
- June 25, 2024
Forty trainees recognized at annual Yale Child Study Center graduation event
- June 21, 2024
Department of Psychiatry Honors Residents, Fellows, Faculty, Staff at 2024 Annual Commencement Ceremonies
- May 28, 2024
Bonomi, Lee, Abdallah Honored with Lustman Award
- May 10, 2024
Abdallah, Bhatt, Kietzman Honored with Department's Detre Awards