SARAH R.

MOORE
Department of Medical Genetics
The University of British Columbia | BC Children’s Hospital
A5-162 950 West 28th Avenue
Vancouver, BC Canada V5Z 4H4
Sarah.moore@bcchr.ca

EDUCATION

Cornell University
Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology, 2016
Dissertation: Sources of Individual Variability in Sensitivity to the Environment

University of Maryland College Park

B.S. in Psychology, 2009 with Departmental Honors
Thesis: Attachment in Psychotherapy: Considerations of the Real Relationship

EMPLOYMENT

Scholar of Excellence/Banting Post-Doctoral Fellow, Kobor Laboratory 2016-present

Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics
University of British Columbia, BC, Canada

Visiting Scientist, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry March-June 2018

Translational Research in Psychiatry
Kraepelinstraße 2-10, 80804 München

Laboratory Manager, Castillo-Davis Laboratory of Evolutionary Genomics 2008-2010

Biology Department
University of Maryland College Park, MD, USA

Research Assistant, Maryland Child and Family Development Laboratory 2007-2010

Psychology Department
University of Maryland College Park, MD, USA

PUBLICATIONS *DUAL FIRST

Moore, S. R., Stein, D. J., Jones, M. J., Kobor, M. S., & Donald, K. A. (in prep). Epigenetic traces of in
utero drug exposure in cord blood and infant white matter integrity.

*Arloth, J., *Moore, S. R., & Binder, E. B. (in prep). Sex specific differences in glucocorticoid regulated
gene expression in humans.

McDade, T. W., Moore, S. R., Ryan, C. P., Hoke, M. K., Jones, M. J., Edgar, R. D., Borja, J., Miller, G.,
Kuzawa, C. W., & Kobor, M. S. (in prep). Epigenetic signatures of socioeconomic adversity during
development and early adulthood.

Moore, S. R., Vieira, R., & Kobor, M. S. (in prep). Epigenetic profiles and the developing brain in human
research: Mechanism, relic, or noise?

Sekhon, B., Moore, S. R., Letourneau, N., Jones, M. J., Kobor, M. S., & Giesbrecht, G. (in prep). Maternal
adverse childhood experiences and infant DNA methylation.
*Humphreys, K. L., *Moore, S. R., *Goetz Davis, E., MacIsaac, J. L., Lin, D. S., Kobor, M. S., & Gotlib, I.
H. (submitted). Prediction of major depressive disorder from DNA methylation of HPA-Axis Genes.

Moore, S. R., & Kobor, M. S. (2018). Variability in DNA methylation at the serotonin transporter gene
promoter: Epigenetic mechanism or cell type artifact? Molecular Psychiatry.

Fu, Y., Selcuk, E., Moore, S. R., Depue, R. A. (2018). Touch-induced face conditioning is mediated by
genetic variation in opioid but not oxytocin receptor. Scientific Reports.

Moore, S. R., & Kobor, M. S. (2018). Epigenetic mechanisms and the developing brain: Bridging the nature-
nurture divide. In Manifestations and Mechanisms of Dynamic Brain Coordination over Development.

Jones, M. J., Moore, S. R., & Kobor, M. S. (2018). Principles, methodologies, and challenges of applying
epigenetic epidemiology to psychology. Annual Review of Psychology, 69. DOI: 10.1146/annurev-psych-122414-
033653

Moore, S. R., McEwen, L. M., Quirt, J., Morin, A., Mah, S. M., Barr, R. G., Boyce, T., & Kobor, M. S.
(2017). Epigenetic correlates of neonatal contact in humans. Development and Psychopathology, 29(5), 1517-1538.
DOI: 10.1017/S0954579417001213

Moore, S. R. (2017). Gene-Gene interactions. In Encyclopedia of Personality and Individual Differences.

Moore, S. R. (2017). Commentary: What is the case for candidate gene approaches in the era of high
throughput genomics? A response to Border & Keller (2017). Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 58(3),
331-334. DOI: 10.1111/jcpp.12697

Moore, S. R., McKone, K. M., & Mendle, J. (2016). Recollections of puberty and disordered eating in young
women. Journal of Adolescence, 53, 180-188. DOI: 10.1016/j.adolescence.2016.10.011

Moore, S. R., & Thoemmes, F. (2016). What is the biological reality of GxE estimates? An assessment of
bias in developmental models. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 57(11), 1258-1267-334. DOI:
10.1111/jcpp.12579

Moore, S. R., & Depue, R. (2016). Neurobehavioral foundation of environmental reactivity. Psychological
Bulletin, 142(2), 107-164. DOI: dx.doi.org/10.1037/bul0000028

Mendle, J., Moore, S. R., Briley, D. A., & Harden, K. P. (2016). Puberty, socioeconomic status, and
depression in girls: evidence for gene x environment interactions. Clinical Psychological Science, 4(1),3-16. DOI:
10.1177/2167702614563598

Moore, S. R., Fu, Y., & Depue, R. (2014). Social traits modulate attention to affiliative cues. Frontiers in
Psychology: Personality and Social Psychology, 5, 649. DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00649

Moore, S. R., Harden, K. P., & Mendle, J. (2014). Pubertal timing and adolescent sexual behavior in girls.
Developmental Psychology. 50(6), 1734-1745. DOI:10.1037/a0036027

Whitlock, J., Wyman, P. A., & Moore, S. R. (2014). Connectedness and suicide prevention in adolescents:
Pathways and implications. Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior, 44(3), 246-272. DOI: 10.1111/sltb.12071

Harden, K. P., Kretsch, N., Moore, S. R., & Mendle, J. (2014). Review: Hormonal influences on risk for
eating disorder symptoms during puberty and adolescence. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 47(7), 718-
726. DOI: 10.1002/eat.22317

Mendle, J., Ferrero, J., Moore, S. R., & Harden, K. P. (2013). Depression and adolescent sexual activity in
romantic and nonromantic relational contexts: A genetically-informative sibling comparison. Journal of
Abnormal Psychology,122(1), 51-63. DOI: 10.1037/a0029816
Moore, S. R., & Gelso, C. J. (2011). Recollections of a secure base in psychotherapy: Considerations of the
real relationship. Psychotherapy, 48(4), 368-373. DOI: 10.1037/a0022421

NOTABLE AWARDS & GRANTS

Awards
Banting Postdoctoral Fellowship Recipient, CIHR. Rank 15 in Canada (2018)
Scholars of Excellence Postdoctoral Fellowship Recipient, BC Children’s Hospital (2016)
Early Career Outstanding Paper Award, American Psychological Association Division 7 (2016)
Martha Foulk and Ethel Waring Fellowship Recipient (2014-2015)
Summer Fellowship Recipient, Cornell University (2012, 2013, & 2016)
Student Travel Award, Behavioral Genetics Association (June 2012, June 2015)
Bronfenbrenner Center for Translational Research Assistant Award (2012-2013)
Grants
$10,000 “Neurogenetics of Sensitivity to the Environment: Emotional Memory as a Mediator of GXE
Effects”, Cornell Center for Vertebrate Genomics Seed Grant, 11/10/2015-present (PI: Adam Anderson,
Co-PI and Preparer: Sarah Moore)

$7,000 “Neurogenetic Sources of Individual Variation in Sensitivity to the Environment”, Cornell Institute
of Social Sciences Small Grant, 4/1/2015-present (PI: Adam Anderson, Co-PI and Preparer: Sarah Moore)

$8,000 “Chronic Pain and Depression in Older Adults: Examining Disturbances in Affect Regulation as a
Hidden Vulnerability”, The Translational Research Institute on Pain in Later Life (TRIPLL) Pilot Grant,
5/1/2014-2/1/2015 (PI: Anthony Ong, Co-PIs: Felix Thoemmes and Sarah Moore)

$1,000 “Oxytocin Modulation of Attention to Affiliative Stimuli”, Human Ecology Alumni Association
Research Grant, Cornell University, 5/7/2012-11/1/2012 (PI: Sarah Moore)

$500 “The Real Relationship in Psychotherapy”, University of Maryland Honors Research Grant,
11/1/2008-11/1/2009 (PI: Sarah Moore)

MEDIA COVERAGE

Award announcements
APA Division 7 Early Career Outstanding Paper Award, Banting Postdoctoral Fellowship

Coverage of first-author empirical work

‘Epigenetic correlates of neonatal contact in humans’
IFL Science, NY Daily News, Vancouver Sun, Miami Herald, Sacramento Bee, Science Daily, Science Alert,
Technology Networks, BCCHRI Q&A

‘Pubertal timing and adolescent sexual behavior in girls’

Cornell Chronicle

ACADEMIC PRESENTATIONS

Conference Presentations *trainee

Moore, S. R., Anderson, A., Depue, R., & Todd, R. M. (to present November, 2018). Patterns of emotional
reactivity and associative learning across valence in humans. Poster presentation at the Society for Social
Neuroscience Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA.
Moore, S. R., Glass, T., Miller, S. P., & Kobor, M. S. (2018). Epigenetic correlates of white matter injury in
preterm infants. Poster presented at Healthy Starts research day at BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute,
Vancouver, BC, Canada.

Moore, S. R. (2017). Why so sensitive? Sources of variability in responsiveness to emotional experience.

Paper presented at the Biennial Conference of the Society for Research in Child Development, Austin, TX.

*Terpstra, A. R., Moore, S. R., & Todd, R. M. (2017). Bipolar traits are associated with facilitated emotional
learning. Poster presentation at the Annual Meeting of the Social and Affective Neuroscience Society, Los
Angeles, CA.

*Ratna, N., *Pereira, G., & Moore, S. R. (2016). Quantifying neural constraint. Poster presentation at Annual
Spring Research Forum, Cornell Undergraduate Research Board, Ithaca, NY.

Moore, S. R., Eaton, T., Anderson, A., & Depue, R. (2015). Starved for affection? Sensitivity to soft touch
relates to insecure attachment following early adversity. Poster presentation at the Society for Social
Neuroscience Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL.

Moore, S. R., Ryan, R., & Mendle, J. (2015). Do ‘plasticity’ genes relate to sensitivity to the environment?
Divergence in depression scores in twin pairs. Paper presentation at the Annual Meeting of the Behavioral
Genetics Association, San Diego, CA.

Moore, S. R., & Thoemmes, F. (2015). What is the biological reality of G x E estimates? An assessment of
bias in developmental G x E models. Poster presentation at the Biennial Conference of the Society for
Research in Child Development. Philadelphia, PA.

Moore, S. R., & Thoemmes, F. (2014). Exploring sources of bias in gene-environment interaction models
testing differential susceptibility. Poster presentation at the Modern Modeling Methods Conference, Storrs,
CT.

Moore, S. R., Harden, K. P., & Mendle, J. (2013). Pubertal timing and adolescent sexual behavior in
girls. Paper presentation at the Biennial Conference of the Society for Research in Child Development.
Seattle, WA.

Moore, S. R. (2013). Symposium chair, Adolescent Sexual Behavior: Genes and Macro to Micro
Environmental Contributors. Biennial Conference of the Society for Research in Child Development.
Seattle, WA.

Moore, S. R., Harden, K. P., & Mendle, J. (2012). Pubertal development and adolescent sexual behavior:
Rethinking the relevant paths. Paper presentation at the Annual Meeting of the Behavioral Genetics
Association, Edinburgh, UK.

Moore, S. R., & Gelso, C. J. (2009). The real relationship: Working towards a secure bond in psychotherapy.
Poster presentation at the New England Society for Psychotherapy Research Conference, Williamstown,
MA.

Invited Talks

Moore, S. R. (October 27, 2017). Epigenetics and the developing brain: What can we learn from peripheral
tissues? Talk presented at TGIF seminar series at BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, BC.

Moore, S. R. (December 1, 2016). An application of survival models to EWAS in a prospective investigation

of depression in adolescents. Talk presented to the EPIC data group at the BC Children’s Hospital Research
Institute, Vancouver, BC.
Moore, S. R. (April 12, 2016). Neural constraint: The intersection of emotion and executive function. Talk
presented as part of the Scholar of Excellence Program Interview at BC Children’s Hospital Research
Institute, Vancouver, BC.

Moore, S. R. (December 14, 2015). Genes, social environment, and neural sensitivities, elucidating the
processes of gene-environment interaction. Talk presented to Kobor laboratory members for interview at
BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, BC.

Moore, S. R. (April 12, 2013). The interplay of person and environment in shaping adolescent behavior,
Brown Bag Presentation, Departmental talk at Cornell University, Ithaca, NY.

SKILLS AND TRAINING

Methodologies
Bioinformatics, fMRI, molecular and quantitative genetics, infrared eye-tracking

Statistical Techniques
Data reduction and machine learning applications, structural equation modeling, hierarchical linear modeling,
growth curve modeling, survival analysis, linear and non-linear regression, mediation, propensity score
analysis, non-parametric analysis, Bayesian methods, multiple imputation, mixture modeling, simulation,
power analysis

Software Tools
 Statistical: R, SAS, and Mplus
 Psychology: PsychoPy, E-Prime, Inquisit
 fMRI analytic: SPM, AFNI
 Bioinformatics: R, PLINK, Unix shell scripting, fluent in design and programming of simulation
studies and power analysis, experienced in preprocessing pipeline for methylation and SNP arrays

Programming Skills
 Fluent in R, Python, Awk, and Unix shell scripting
 High performance computing: programming of database integration
 Experienced with Perl, Matlab, and LaTeX

Training Experiences
International Workshop on Statistical Genetic Methods for Complex Human Traits, Advanced course,
Boulder, CO. (2017).

Analysis of Functional Neuroimages (AFNI) training bootcamp at the NIH in Bethesda, MD. (2014).

Structural Equation Modeling in Longitudinal Research Workshop at the University of California at Davis in
Davis, CA. (2012).

International Workshop on Statistical Genetics and Methodology for Twin and Family Studies, Boulder, CO.
(2012).

TEACHING AND OUTREACH

Teaching Assistantships
Neurochemistry of Human Behavior (Spring 2014), Cognitive Neuroscience (Fall 2013), Quantitative
Methods I and II (Fall 2012-Spring 2013), Affective and Social Neuroscience (Spring 2012), Positive
Psychology (Fall 2011, Spring 2016), Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood (Spring 2011), Social and
Personality Development (Fall 2010).
Outreach and Translational Work
Volunteer facilitator of Responsible Conduct of Research Course at University of British Columbia, January
23, 2018.

Provided presentation on women in science to participants of event sponsored by “Expanding Your

Horizons” outreach program at Cornell University, April 30, 2016.

Provided workshop entitled “Neurosexism: Bias in the science of gender differences in the brain” to high-
school students. Cornell Institute for Women in Science, June 2015 & June 2016.

Judge of 29th Annual Spring Research Forum, Cornell Undergraduate Research Board, April 16, 2014.

Co-editor and contributor of winter 2012-2013 issue of States of Mind, published by the Mental Health
Association in Tompkins County. Authored article entitled, “The Adolescent Brain”.

Co-author of article entitled, “Life and the adolescent brain.” Article written for translational neuroscience
webpage on Bronfenbrenner Center for Translational Research website. Retrieved from
http://www.bctr.cornell.edu/tag/translational-neuroscience-2/

2011-2012 Group leader and tutor for College Attainment Program at MacCormick’s Secure Center. Cornell
University Public Service Center, January 2011-May 2012.

Group discussion leader for ‘Sex on the Table’ in Risley Tammany Hall. Topic: “Why do college students
take sexual risks?” Oct. 15, 2012.

PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES
 Ad hoc reviewer for Molecular Psychiatry, Developmental Psychobiology, Developmental Psychology, Perspectives
on Psychological Science, Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, European Journal of Human Genetics,
European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, The Journal of Pediatrics, Journal of Affective Disorders, Journal of
Adolescence and Journal of Research on Adolescence
 Memberships: Behavior Genetics Association, Society for Research in Child Development, Society
for Neuroscience, Society for Social Neuroscience

REFERENCES
Adam Anderson 607-255-7392 aka47@cornell.edu
Associate Professor, Department of Human Development, Cornell University

Elisabeth Binder +49 8930622-586 binder@psych.mpg.de

Director, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry

Richard Depue 607-257-7316 rad5@cornell.edu

Professor, Department of Human Development, Cornell University

Michael Kobor 604-875-3803 msk@cmmt.ubc.ca

Professor, Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia

Jane Mendle 607-255-0844 jem482@cornell.edu

Associate Professor, Department of Human Development, Cornell University

Felix Thoemmes 607-254-6411 fjt36@cornell.edu

Assistant Professor, Department of Human Development, Cornell University

Rebecca Todd 604-827-2074 becket.todd@psych.ubc.ca

Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia