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- David G. Peters, PhD
David G. Peters, PhD
Professor of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences | Professor of Human Genetics, University of Pittsburgh
I am focused on developing blood tests, and other non-invasive methods, for the early detection and analysis of complex human diseases. My goal is to reduce the burden and impact of disease through earlier and more accurate diagnosis that informs personalised approaches to treatment.
David G. Peters, PhD
Research in Brief
Research at the lab is focused on understanding the biology and utility of cell-free nucleic acids present in human fluid reservoirs such as plasma, stool and cerebrospinal fluid. This work is motivated by the need to develop methods for the non-invasive detection and phenotyping of silently progressing human disease. To achieve these goals, the lab combines high-throughput methods in translational genomics with novel computational approaches.
Current Projects
Current Lab Funding
- Development of Non-invasive Liquid Biopsy Screening Tool for Preterm Birth Causes and Consequences (Co-PIs: D Peters, H Simhan), NIH/NICHD - R01HD110579 (08/13/2024-07/31/2029).
- Non-Invasive Analysis of Methylated Cell Free DNA in Necrotizing Enterocolitis (Co-PIs: D Peters, M Good), NIH/NIDDK - R01 DK124614, (07/01/2021-07/31/2026).
- Liquid Biopsy for Complex Disease Detection and Phenotyping (PI: D Peters), Signature Diagnostics, (02/01/2021-07/31/2022).
- Neonatal gut-on-a-chip platform for high content drug testing and precision medicine (Co-I: D Peters, PI: M Good), NIH/NICHD - R01 105301, (04/01/21-03/31/26).
- A Novel Platform for Ovarian Cancer Diagnosis and Screening (Co-I: D Peters, PI: R Bukanovich), DOD / U01OC200494, (06/01/2021-05/31/2023).
- Epigenomic liquid biopsy for detection of preterm birth risk (PI: D Peters), Philanthropic, (01/01/2021-12/31/2023).
- The Non-Invasive Early Detection of Endometriosis (PI: D Peters), MWRIF, (04/01/22-03/21/23).
Recent Lab Funding
- Non-Invasive Detection of Fetal Aneuploidy by Next-Generation DNA Sequencing (PI: D Peters), R01 HD068578-02 NIH/NICHD, (05/15/2011-01/31/2017).
- A Stethoscope for the Brain (Co-PI: D Peters), The Beck Family Foundation, (06/01/2016-05/31/2018).
- Towards the Development of New Treatment Strategies for Severe Depression and Suicidal Behavior (PI: D Peters), The Fine Foundation, (06/01/2016-05/31/2018).
- Metabolomics of Treatment Refractory Depression and Suicidal Behavior (Co-PI: D Peters), Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh Foundation, (04/01/2016-06/31/2020).
- Novel Methods for Liquid Biopsy (PI: D Peters), Pittsburgh Health Data Alliance, (09/01/2017-08/31/2019).
- Risk Factors and Screening for Preterm Birth (PI: D Peters), PA Department of Health, (07/01/2019-06/30/2021).
Selected Publications
Good M, Chu T, Shaw P, McClain L, Chamberlain A, Castro C, Rimer JM, Mihi B, Gong Q, Nolan, LS, Cooksey K, Linneman L, Agrawal, P, Finegold DN, Peters D*. NEC-Associated DNA Methylation Signatures in Colon are Evident in Stool Samples of Affected Individuals Epigenomics. 2021 Jun;13(11):829-844. PMID: 33905263
Good M, Chu T, Shaw P, McClain L, Chamberlain A, Castro C, Rimer JM, Mihi B, Gong Q, Nolan LS, Cooksey K, Linneman L, Agrawal, P, Finegold DN, Peters D*. Global Hypermethylation of Intestinal Epithelial Cells is a Hallmark Feature of Neonatal Surgical Necrotizing Enterocolitis. Clinical Epigenetics. 2020. Dec 11;12(1):190. PMID 33308304
Pan L, McClain L, Shaw P, Donnellan N, Chu T, Finegold D, Peters D*. Non-invasive epigenomic molecular phenotyping of the human brain via liquid biopsy of cerebrospinal fluid and next generation sequencing. Eur J Neurosci. 2020 Oct 6. PMID: 33020990
Chu T, Shaw P, McClain L, Simhan H, Peters D*. High-resolution epigenomic liquid biopsy for noninvasive phenotyping in pregnancy. Prenat Diagn. 2020 Oct 1. PMID: 33002217
McClain LL, Shaw P, Sabol R, Chedia AM, Segretti AM, Rengasamy M, Finegold DN, Pan L, Peters DG*. Rare variants and biological pathways identified in treatment-refractory depression. Neurosci Res. 2020 Jul;98(7):1322-1334. PMID: 32128872
McClain L, Segreti AM, Nau S, Shaw P, Finegold DN, Pan LA, Peters DG*. Chromosome 15q13.3 microduplications are associated with treatment refractory major depressive disorder. Genes Brain Behav. 2020 Jun;19(5):e12628. PMID: 31828948
Chu T, Yeniterzi S, Dunkel M, Rajkovic A, Hogge WA, Peters DG*. Comparative evaluation of the minimally-invasive Karyotyping (MINK) Algorithm for non-invasive prenatal testing. PLoS. 2017; 12(3):e0171882
Zhang P, Chu T, Dedousis N, Benjamin S. Sipula I, Li L, Bunce K, Shaw P, Zhu J, Argmann C, O’Doherty RM, Peters DG* and Scott DK. DNA methylation alters transcriptional rates of differentially expressed genes and contributes to pathophysiology in mice fed a high fat diet. Mol. Metab. 2017; 6(4):327-339
Pan LA, Martin P, Zimmer T, Segreti AM, Kassiff S, McKain BW, Baca CA, Rengasamy M, Hyland K, Walano N, Steinfeld R, Hughes M, Dobrowolski SK, Pasquino M, Diler R, Perel J, Finegold DN, Peters DG, Naviaux RK, Brent DA, Vockley J. Neurometabolic Disorders: Potentially greatable abnormalities in patients with treatment-refractory depression and suicidal behavior. Am J Psychiatry. 2016 Aug 13. doi: 10.1176/appi.ajp.2016.15111500. PMID: 27523499
Yatsenko SA, Peters DG, Saller DN, Chu T, Clemens M, Rajkovic A. Maternal cell free DNA based screening for fetal microdeletion and the importance of careful diagnostic follow up. Genet Med. 2015 Oct;17(10):836-8. doi: 10.1038/gim.2014.197. PMCID: PMC4496325
Chu T, Yeniterzi S, Yatsenko SA, Dunkel M, Rajkovic A, Hogge WA, Peters DG*. Cell-free nucleic acids as non-invasive biomarkers of gynecological disorders, fetal aneuploidy and constitutional maternal chromosomal mosaicism. Hum Reprod Update. 2015 Sept-Oct;21(5):690-2. doi: 10.1093/humupd/dmv015. PMID: 25765864
Peters DG*, Yatsenko SA, Surti U, Rajkovic A. Recent advances of genomic testing in perinatal medicine. Semin Perinatol. 2015 Feb; 39(1):44-54. doi: 10.1053/j. semperi.2014.10.009. PMCID: PMC4883661
Chu TJ, Yeniterzi, Rajkovic A, Hogge WA, Dunkel M, Shaw PA, Bunce K, Peters DG*. High resolution non-invasive detection of a fetal microdeletion using the GCREM algorithm. Prenat Diagn. 2014 May;34(5):469-77. doi: 10.1002/pd.4331. PMCID: PMC4266320
Bunce K, Chu T, Surti U, Hogge WA, Peters DG*. Discovery of epigenetic biomarkers for the non-invasive diagnosis of fetal disease. Prenat Diagn. 2012 Jun;32(6):542-9. doi: 10.1002/pd.3853. PMCID: PMC4308692
Peters D*, Chu T, Yatsenko SA, Hendrix N, Hogge WA, Surti U, Bunce K, Dunkel M, Shaw P, Rajkovic A. Non-invasive prenatal diagnosis of a fetal microdeletion syndrome. N Engl J Med. 2011 Nov;365(19):1847-8. doi: 10.1056/NEJMc1106975. PMCID: PMC4308687
Chu T, Handley D, Bunce K, Surti U, Hogge WA, Peters DG*. Structural and regulatory characterization of the placental epigenome at its maternal interface. PLoS One. 2011 Feb; 6(2):e14723. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0014723. PMCID: PMC3044138
Chu T, Bunce K, Hogge WA, Peters DG*. Statistical considerations for digital approaches to non-invasive fetal genotyping. Bioinformatics. 2010 Nov;26(22):2863-6. doi: 10.1093/bioinformatics/btq544.
Chu T, Bunce K, Hogge WA, Peters DG*. A novel approach toward the challenge of accurately quantifying fetal DNA in maternal plasma. Prenat Diagn. 2010 Dec;30(12-13):1226-9. doi: 10.1002/pd.2656.
Handley D, Peters DG*. Noninvasive prenatal chromosomal aneuploidy detection using plasma cell-free nucleic acid. Expert Rev Obstet Gynecol. 2010;5(5):581-9.
Chu T, Burke B, Bunce K, Surti U, Hogge WA, Peters DG*. A microarray-based approach for the identification of epigenetic biomarkers for the noninvasive diagnosis of fetal disease. Prenat Diagn. 2009 Nov;29(11):1020-30. doi: 10.1002/pd.2335.
Chu T, Bunce K, Hogge WA, Peters DG*. Statistical model for whole genome sequencing and its application to minimally invasive diagnosis of fetal genetic disease. Bioinformatics. 2009 May;25(10):1244-50. doi: 10.1093/bioinformatics/btp156.
For additional publications, visit Pubmed.