Plenary Session, Wednesday, May 30, 2007

Genes, environment, and metabolic programming: opportunities for preventive intervention

Three of the world's pioneers in understanding early experience and its biological substrates will discuss their most recent research on this fundamental topic for prevention science. Dr. David Barker, author of the "Barker Hypothesis," will discuss the most recent evidence on fetal metabolic programming and its role in accounting for adult chronic illness. Sir Michael Rutter, one of the world's most influential figures in child psychiatry, will discuss research on the interplay of genes and environment and how experience gets "under the skin" to shape mental health and behavioral adaptation. And Dr. David Reiss, a pioneer in bridging genetic and family systems levels of analysis, will discuss his most recent research on gene x environment interactions and their implications for preventive intervention.