Tamashiro, Kellie L. K., Ph.D.

Associate Professor Main Office Address The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine 618 Ross 720 Rutland Avenue Baltimore, MD 21205 Office Phone: 410-614-9151 Lab Phone: 410-955-2996 Fax: 410-502-3769 E-mail: ktamashiro@jhmi.edu

Education

Professional Interests

Our research program focuses on the developmental origins of psychiatric and metabolic disease. Environmental disturbances during early development, such as prenatal stress or altered maternal nutrition, have significant long-term effects on offspring and can increase susceptibility to adult disease such as neuropsychiatric disorders, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Studies in the laboratory use rodent models and incorporate a multilevel approach to determine the behavioral, physiological, and neural correlates of disease development in response to changes in the early developmental environment. Genetic and epigenetic approaches are used to further elucidate molecular mechanisms that may increase susceptibility of offspring to psychiatric and metabolic disease and will facilitate development of novel clinical interventions for these conditions. 

Selected Publications

Tamashiro, K.L.K., Terrillion, C.E., Hyun, J., Koenig, J.I. and Moran, T.H. Prenatal stress and high fat diet increase susceptibility to diet-induced obesity in offspring.  Diabetes. 2009; 58(5):1116-25.  PMID: 19188431.

Lee RS*, Tamashiro KL*, Yang X, Purcell RH, Harvey A, Willour VL, Huo Y, Rongione M, Wand GS, and Potash JB. Chronic corticosterone exposure increases expression and decreases DNA methylation of the stress-associated gene Fkbp5 in mice.  Endocrinology, 2010; PMID: 20668026. *These authors contributed equally. 

Purcell RH, Sun B, Pass LL, Power ML, Moran TH, and Tamashiro KL.  Maternal stress and high-fat diet effect on maternal behavior, milk composition, and pup ingestive behavior.  Physiology & Behavior, 2011; 104(3):474-9. PMID: 21605577.

Tamashiro, KL.  Metabolic syndrome: Links to socioeconomic status and social stress.  Ann N Y Acad Sci, 2011; 1231(1):46-55.  PMID: 21884160

Sun B, Purcell RH, Terrillion CE, Yan J, Moran TH, and Tamashiro KL.  Maternal high-fat diet during gestation or suckling differentially affects offspring leptin sensitivity and obesity. Diabetes, 2012; Jun 29 [Epub ahead of print], PMID: 22751689.