Genes in Action: Discover How Stress Impacts Your Health!

Course Description

In this course, students will dive into the fascinating world of genetics to see how stress and the environment can impact our health by affecting our genes. Through fun, hands-on activities like extracting DNA from saliva and interactive discussions, they’ll learn about the body’s stress response (called the HPA axis) and how stress can change things on a molecular level. We’ll also explore how epigenetics—a process that helps turn genes “on” or “off”—plays a role. By the end, students will understand how to better manage stress for improved mental health and well-being.

Please note : This mini-course will not take place on the main campus of the University of Ottawa, but at the Lees campus.

Biography

My name is Dr. Cao, and I'm a researcher at the University of Ottawa. My work focuses on understanding how things in our environment, like stress, affect our bodies and minds, especially as we grow up. I study how stressful experiences, such as those caused by natural disasters, can impact people’s mental health and wellness, particularly in groups like pregnant women, children, and teens. By looking closely at our genes and how they change over time, I aim to uncover the "why" and "how" behind these effects.