Learning the complex genetics of the growing craniofacial system in the ABCD study

The Adolecent Brain Cognitive Development Study is the largest long-term study of brain development and child health. A few years ago, 11,878 multi-ethnic children ages 9-10 joined the study and researchers started to track their biological and behavioral development through adolescence into young adulthood. As part of this, full head structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was acquired at the beginning and is repeated every two years, which provides a unique recording of multiple morphological parts within the craniofacial complex that grows as a single biological morpho-system of the human body. In this project, the aim is to leverage this dataset into a better understanding of the underlying genetics jointly shaping multiple components, (e.g., face, cranium, eyes, and brain) within the craniofacial system. Phenotyping from MRI images will be done using advanced medical image processing. In addition, we strive for technical innovations in transethnic complex genetics. Technically, we will explore and develop learning-based alternatives to current practice. Biomedically, the outcome will provide fundamental insights into the underlying genetics of craniofacial growth and development and this from a biological systemic perspective.