Sarah M. Merrill, PhD
@sarahmerrill.bsky.social
Assistant Professor of Psychology
University of Massachusetts Lowell ||
Epigenetics and Psychosocial Intervention (EPI) Lab ||
Accepting PhD Students this cycle
University of Massachusetts Lowell ||
Epigenetics and Psychosocial Intervention (EPI) Lab ||
Accepting PhD Students this cycle
Reposted by Sarah M. Merrill, PhD
Drs. Jiabin Shen, @sarahmerrill.bsky.social, and I are recruiting students for the Psychology PhD program @ UML for Fall 2026! If you are interested in pediatric health psych, pediatric injury prevention and rehabilitation, or epigenetic research, contact us! Please share!
#PsychSciSky #AcademicSky
#PsychSciSky #AcademicSky
October 3, 2025 at 3:20 PM
Drs. Jiabin Shen, @sarahmerrill.bsky.social, and I are recruiting students for the Psychology PhD program @ UML for Fall 2026! If you are interested in pediatric health psych, pediatric injury prevention and rehabilitation, or epigenetic research, contact us! Please share!
#PsychSciSky #AcademicSky
#PsychSciSky #AcademicSky
Reposted by Sarah M. Merrill, PhD
Check out what the @reidlab.bsky.social is up to at #SRCD2025
May 1, 2025 at 3:10 PM
Check out what the @reidlab.bsky.social is up to at #SRCD2025
Reposted by Sarah M. Merrill, PhD
It was so great chatting about the considerations of using cheek swabs in DNA methylation epigenetic research for pediatric health on the Best Lives podcast! www.buzzsprout.com/2432042/epis...
#DNA #methylation #epigenetics #pediatric #age
#DNA #methylation #epigenetics #pediatric #age
EP02: Cheek swabs, epigenetic clocks, and kids - Best Lives
Cheek swabs are easy to collect, but the science behind them is anything but simple. In this episode, Dr. Sarah Merrill and Dr. Chaini Konwar discuss how the proportion of cells collected from cheek s...
www.buzzsprout.com
April 26, 2025 at 4:15 PM
It was so great chatting about the considerations of using cheek swabs in DNA methylation epigenetic research for pediatric health on the Best Lives podcast! www.buzzsprout.com/2432042/epis...
#DNA #methylation #epigenetics #pediatric #age
#DNA #methylation #epigenetics #pediatric #age
So excited to see your success in this new chapter, Meingold! Congratulations - Purdue is so lucky to have you! 🎉❤️
Extremely thankful to my postdoc advisor Michael Kobor and PhD advisor Xin Feng for their mentorship and guidance, and to my amazing mentor and collaborator @sarahmerrill.bsky.social for her continuous support! Thank you everyone who generously shared their experiences and materials along the way!❤️
April 9, 2025 at 9:24 PM
So excited to see your success in this new chapter, Meingold! Congratulations - Purdue is so lucky to have you! 🎉❤️
Reposted by Sarah M. Merrill, PhD
A very well argued and thought provoking blogpost by
@wiringthebrain.bsky.social
www.wiringthebrain.com/2025/01/euge...
@wiringthebrain.bsky.social
www.wiringthebrain.com/2025/01/euge...
Eugenics, statistical hubris, and unknowable unknowns in human genetics
A new paper just out in Nature , by Peter Visscher and colleagues (including bio-ethicist Julian Salvulescu) explores the idea of polygenic...
www.wiringthebrain.com
March 9, 2025 at 6:54 PM
A very well argued and thought provoking blogpost by
@wiringthebrain.bsky.social
www.wiringthebrain.com/2025/01/euge...
@wiringthebrain.bsky.social
www.wiringthebrain.com/2025/01/euge...
Reposted by Sarah M. Merrill, PhD
A strategy to slow/reverse human aging—partial epigenetic reprogramming—has big bets (many $ billions). Here's a simplified graphic + explainer for how it works, along with the many uncertainties and serious risks
www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/202... @gretchenxreynolds.bsky.social
www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/202... @gretchenxreynolds.bsky.social
March 7, 2025 at 2:10 PM
A strategy to slow/reverse human aging—partial epigenetic reprogramming—has big bets (many $ billions). Here's a simplified graphic + explainer for how it works, along with the many uncertainties and serious risks
www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/202... @gretchenxreynolds.bsky.social
www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/202... @gretchenxreynolds.bsky.social
Reposted by Sarah M. Merrill, PhD
DNAm aging biomarkers are responsive: Insights from 51 longevity interventional studies in humans https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.10.22.619522v1
DNAm aging biomarkers are responsive: Insights from 51 longevity interventional studies in humans https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.10.22.619522v1
Aging biomarkers can potentially allow researchers to rapidly monitor the impact of an aging interve
www.biorxiv.org
October 27, 2024 at 5:04 PM
DNAm aging biomarkers are responsive: Insights from 51 longevity interventional studies in humans https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.10.22.619522v1
Reposted by Sarah M. Merrill, PhD
Behind every great woman in science, there’s another great woman in science www.nature.com/articles/d41...
#iwd #womeninstem #IWD2025
#iwd #womeninstem #IWD2025
Behind every great woman in science, there’s another great woman in science
To mark International Women’s Day on 8 March, six award-winning female scientists highlight women who have inspired them by pushing innovative research and creating opportunities for others.
www.nature.com
March 6, 2025 at 9:47 PM
Behind every great woman in science, there’s another great woman in science www.nature.com/articles/d41...
#iwd #womeninstem #IWD2025
#iwd #womeninstem #IWD2025
Reposted by Sarah M. Merrill, PhD
One study simply asked ppl to describe (in single words) love and/or commitment. The diagram below shows that ppl represent the constructs similarly to Kelley's model. Love is therefore NOT a triangle; yet in my class this week almost all students had heard of the triangular theory of love.
March 6, 2025 at 3:54 PM
One study simply asked ppl to describe (in single words) love and/or commitment. The diagram below shows that ppl represent the constructs similarly to Kelley's model. Love is therefore NOT a triangle; yet in my class this week almost all students had heard of the triangular theory of love.
Reposted by Sarah M. Merrill, PhD
Register interest in THE EPIGENETICS Gordon Research Conference Barcelona 10-15 August 2025. A great line up of speakers on the theme: Epigenetic Variation: Mechanisms & Impact Across Systems. ~15 talks to be chosen from submitted abstracts, so upload yours ASAP:
www.grc.org/epigenetics-...
www.grc.org/epigenetics-...
2025 Epigenetics Conference GRC
The 2025 Gordon Research Conference on Epigenetics will be held in Castelldefels, Barcelona Spain. Apply today to reserve your spot.
www.grc.org
March 6, 2025 at 6:09 PM
Register interest in THE EPIGENETICS Gordon Research Conference Barcelona 10-15 August 2025. A great line up of speakers on the theme: Epigenetic Variation: Mechanisms & Impact Across Systems. ~15 talks to be chosen from submitted abstracts, so upload yours ASAP:
www.grc.org/epigenetics-...
www.grc.org/epigenetics-...
Reposted by Sarah M. Merrill, PhD
In case you needed more evidence that social media may not be the thing we should be obsessing about when it comes to wellbeing…another meta-analysis of experimental data showing no link.
New meta-analysis of experiments of social media use reduction finds no evidence that reducing social media use improves mental wellness: www.nature.com/articles/s41...
I've only taken a quick look thus far but this replicates my own meta-analysis from last year. Always nice to see.
I've only taken a quick look thus far but this replicates my own meta-analysis from last year. Always nice to see.
The effects of social media abstinence on affective well-being and life satisfaction: a systematic review and meta-analysis - Scientific Reports
Scientific Reports - The effects of social media abstinence on affective well-being and life satisfaction: a systematic review and meta-analysis
www.nature.com
March 6, 2025 at 6:12 PM
In case you needed more evidence that social media may not be the thing we should be obsessing about when it comes to wellbeing…another meta-analysis of experimental data showing no link.
Reposted by Sarah M. Merrill, PhD
Simulating 500 million years of evolution with a language model www.science.org/doi/10.1126/... 🧬🖥️🧪 github.com/evolutionary...
March 6, 2025 at 9:00 PM
Simulating 500 million years of evolution with a language model www.science.org/doi/10.1126/... 🧬🖥️🧪 github.com/evolutionary...
Wow. Funded NIH studies that touch on LGBT+ health, gender identity and DEI in the biomedical workforce could be terminated, according to documents obtained by Nature. www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Exclusive: NIH to terminate hundreds of active research grants
Studies that touch on LGBT+ health, gender identity and DEI in the biomedical workforce could be terminated, according to documents obtained by Nature.
www.nature.com
March 6, 2025 at 6:41 AM
Wow. Funded NIH studies that touch on LGBT+ health, gender identity and DEI in the biomedical workforce could be terminated, according to documents obtained by Nature. www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Reposted by Sarah M. Merrill, PhD
Now out in Sleep Advances! We are excited about these findings and have new pilot intervention data we hope to share soon on this topic.
academic.oup.com/sleepadvance...
academic.oup.com/sleepadvance...
February 6, 2025 at 3:21 PM
Now out in Sleep Advances! We are excited about these findings and have new pilot intervention data we hope to share soon on this topic.
academic.oup.com/sleepadvance...
academic.oup.com/sleepadvance...
Reposted by Sarah M. Merrill, PhD
New preprint! osf.io/preprints/ps...
The age-period-cohort problem is something that many researchers are vaguely aware of. There have been very cool advances in how to reason about it which don't seem to be well-known in psych. So, I've written a primer!
The age-period-cohort problem is something that many researchers are vaguely aware of. There have been very cool advances in how to reason about it which don't seem to be well-known in psych. So, I've written a primer!
September 19, 2024 at 8:52 AM
New preprint! osf.io/preprints/ps...
The age-period-cohort problem is something that many researchers are vaguely aware of. There have been very cool advances in how to reason about it which don't seem to be well-known in psych. So, I've written a primer!
The age-period-cohort problem is something that many researchers are vaguely aware of. There have been very cool advances in how to reason about it which don't seem to be well-known in psych. So, I've written a primer!
Reposted by Sarah M. Merrill, PhD
Great analysis of the indirect cost rate announcement by @stuartbuck.bsky.social
Indirect Costs at NIH . . .
I wasn’t planning on spending part of a Saturday writing about cost accounting principles and the like, but NIH-world was hit with a doozy of a policy announcement on Friday night:
open.substack.com
February 8, 2025 at 11:44 PM
Great analysis of the indirect cost rate announcement by @stuartbuck.bsky.social
Reposted by Sarah M. Merrill, PhD
I just learned that our @psychscience.bsky.social paper (collab with @sarahmerrill.bsky.social) was featured as APS #5 most downloaded paper in 2024
See the podcast, where they describe A TON of beautiful science, including ours. So honored!
www.psychologicalscience.org/news/utc-202...
See the podcast, where they describe A TON of beautiful science, including ours. So honored!
www.psychologicalscience.org/news/utc-202...
January 13, 2025 at 5:23 PM
I just learned that our @psychscience.bsky.social paper (collab with @sarahmerrill.bsky.social) was featured as APS #5 most downloaded paper in 2024
See the podcast, where they describe A TON of beautiful science, including ours. So honored!
www.psychologicalscience.org/news/utc-202...
See the podcast, where they describe A TON of beautiful science, including ours. So honored!
www.psychologicalscience.org/news/utc-202...
Reposted by Sarah M. Merrill, PhD
❗ HUGE important paper for stress and epigenetic science: rdcu.be/d50Ki
If you do epigenetic biomarker research, read, listen to, and cite this masterpiece on cell-type proportions.
Thank you @sarahmerrill.bsky.social & friends for your service!
#Epigenetics #StressScience #Biomarkers
If you do epigenetic biomarker research, read, listen to, and cite this masterpiece on cell-type proportions.
Thank you @sarahmerrill.bsky.social & friends for your service!
#Epigenetics #StressScience #Biomarkers
Impact of age-related changes in buccal epithelial cells on pediatric epigenetic biomarker research
Nature Communications - Cheek swabs are widely used in pediatric epigenetic studies, but changes in their cellular composition with age are unclear. Here the authors show that buccal epithelial...
rdcu.be
January 13, 2025 at 4:57 PM
❗ HUGE important paper for stress and epigenetic science: rdcu.be/d50Ki
If you do epigenetic biomarker research, read, listen to, and cite this masterpiece on cell-type proportions.
Thank you @sarahmerrill.bsky.social & friends for your service!
#Epigenetics #StressScience #Biomarkers
If you do epigenetic biomarker research, read, listen to, and cite this masterpiece on cell-type proportions.
Thank you @sarahmerrill.bsky.social & friends for your service!
#Epigenetics #StressScience #Biomarkers
Reposted by Sarah M. Merrill, PhD
Age is also predicted by histone marks! De Lima Camillo et al. revealed age-linked epigenetic changes beyond DNA methylation. Their open-source models may unlock new aging insights! 🖥️ 🧬 🧪
buff.ly
January 6, 2025 at 7:07 AM
Age is also predicted by histone marks! De Lima Camillo et al. revealed age-linked epigenetic changes beyond DNA methylation. Their open-source models may unlock new aging insights! 🖥️ 🧬 🧪
Reposted by Sarah M. Merrill, PhD
Excited to share our most recent work in Cell Stem Cell, led by @georgiaplea.bsky.social, characterising determinants of DNA methylation patterning in human trophoblast stem cells! A great collaboration with @vpglab.bsky.social.
tinyurl.com/93mchcd2
@loke-ctr.bsky.social @cam-repro.bsky.social
tinyurl.com/93mchcd2
@loke-ctr.bsky.social @cam-repro.bsky.social
Ectopic expression of DNMT3L in human trophoblast stem cells restores features of the placental methylome
The placental DNA methylation landscape is unique, with widespread partially methylated domains (PMDs). The placental “methylome” is conserved across …
tinyurl.com
January 8, 2025 at 4:21 PM
Excited to share our most recent work in Cell Stem Cell, led by @georgiaplea.bsky.social, characterising determinants of DNA methylation patterning in human trophoblast stem cells! A great collaboration with @vpglab.bsky.social.
tinyurl.com/93mchcd2
@loke-ctr.bsky.social @cam-repro.bsky.social
tinyurl.com/93mchcd2
@loke-ctr.bsky.social @cam-repro.bsky.social
Reposted by Sarah M. Merrill, PhD
Multimodal analysis of RNA sequencing data powers discovery of complex trait genetics https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-024-54840-8 🧬🖥️🧪 https://github.com/PejLab/Pantry
December 5, 2024 at 7:30 PM
Multimodal analysis of RNA sequencing data powers discovery of complex trait genetics https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-024-54840-8 🧬🖥️🧪 https://github.com/PejLab/Pantry
Reposted by Sarah M. Merrill, PhD
Another tenure-track position has posted! We seek someone with expertise in clinical intervention research. This position will also support our new Master’s program and our PhD program.
jobs.uri.edu/postings/14461
@abctnow.bsky.social
@sccap53.bsky.social
jobs.uri.edu/postings/14461
@abctnow.bsky.social
@sccap53.bsky.social
Open position at URI for a tenure-track Assistant Professor with a research specialization open with a preference for research programs that include a focus on health disparities, qualitative (mixed) methods, and program evaluation
jobs.uri.edu/postings/14369
jobs.uri.edu/postings/14369
Assistant Professor of Psychology (Qualitative and Mixed Methods, Program Evaluation)
The search will remain open until the position has been filled. First consideration will be given to applications received by January 10, 2025. Applications received after January 10, 2025 may be revi...
jobs.uri.edu
December 5, 2024 at 9:30 PM
Another tenure-track position has posted! We seek someone with expertise in clinical intervention research. This position will also support our new Master’s program and our PhD program.
jobs.uri.edu/postings/14461
@abctnow.bsky.social
@sccap53.bsky.social
jobs.uri.edu/postings/14461
@abctnow.bsky.social
@sccap53.bsky.social
Reposted by Sarah M. Merrill, PhD
DNA Methylation Signature of a Lifestyle-based Resilience Index for Cognitive Health #NeuroDegeneration 🧪🧠
https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-5423573/latest
https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-5423573/latest
November 27, 2024 at 8:35 PM
DNA Methylation Signature of a Lifestyle-based Resilience Index for Cognitive Health #NeuroDegeneration 🧪🧠
https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-5423573/latest
https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-5423573/latest
Reposted by Sarah M. Merrill, PhD
New preprint: DNA methylation association study of depression www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1...
A methylome-wide association study of major depression with out-of-sample case-control classificatio...
medRxiv - The Preprint Server for Health Sciences
www.medrxiv.org
November 2, 2023 at 7:44 AM
New preprint: DNA methylation association study of depression www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1...