Aline Petrin, MS, PhD
Assistant Professor
Primary Office
Lab
Introduction
I am an assistant professor in the College of Dentistry. My research focuses on craniofacial birth defects, with a primary focus on the genetics and epigenetics of nonsyndromic cleft lip and palate. My current projects investigate the role of DNA methylation in the etiology of orofacial clefts and combine epigenetic and genetic approaches to better understand how the epigenome influences the molecular basis of craniofacial birth defects.
Current Positions
- Assistant Professor, Iowa Institute for Oral Health Research and Orthodontics
Education
- PhD in Human Genetics in Human Genetics, Universidade Estadual Paulista Julio de Mesquita Filho (UNESP), Botucatu, Brazil
- Master's in Human Genetics in Human Genetics, Universidade Estadual Paulista Julio de Mesquita Filho (UNESP), Botucatu, Brazil
- Bachelor in Biomedical Sciences in Biomedical Sciences, Universidade Estadual Paulista Julio de Mesquita Filho (UNESP), Botucatu, Brazil
- Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Craniofacial Genetics, University of Iowa College of Dentistry, Iowa City, Iowa
- Postdoctoral Research Scholar in Craniofacial Genetics, University of Iowa College of Medicine (Pediatrics), Iowa City, Iowa
Center, Program and Institute Affiliations
Selected Awards & Honors
- 2025 IADR Hatton Award, Barcelona, Second Place, Junior Category, Mentor
- 2025 AADOCR Hatton Award, New York, Second Place, Junior Category, Mentor
- 2025 Iowa AADOCR Research Day, Featured Speaker
- 2025 Max Smith Predoctoral Competition, 3rd place, Iowa section of the AADOCR Research Day, Mentor
- IADR/AADOCR Symposium "The WHO Global Oral Health Action Plan: The OFC Nutritional Agenda", Invited Speaker/Co-Chair
- 2024 Craniofacial Morphogenesis and Tissue Regeneration Gordon Research Conference, Invited Speaker
- 2024 Max Smith Pre-Doctoral Competition, 2nd Place, Iowa section of the AADOCR Research Day, Mentor
- Student Research Group Mentor of the Year, University of Iowa College of Dentistry and Dental Clinics, Mentor
- AADOCR MIND the Future Program, American Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research (AADOCR), Mentee
- Milo Hellman Research Award, American Association of Orthodontics, Awardee
Professional Memberships
- American Dental Education Association (ADEA)
- International Association for Dental Research Women in Science
- IADR/AADOCR Craniofacial Biology Group
- American Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research (AADOCR)
- International Association for Dental Research (IADR)
- American Society of Human Genetics (ASHG)
- American Cleft Palate Association (ACPA)
Selected Publications
- Saba Manafi, L.A. Machado De Paula, K. Kannenberg, L.M. Moreno Uribe, S. Rengasamy Venugopalan, A.L. Petrin, E. Van Otterloo. Functional Assessment of an Oculo-Auriculo-Vertebral Spectrum Associated Variant in Zebrafish. In: 2025 IADR Annual Meeting & Exhibition, Barcelona.
- Integrative Omics Analyses Associate Pathogenic KIF1B Mutation With Craniofacial Microsomia. W. Awotoye, P. Sanchez, S. Yen, E. Farrow, J. Cao, A. Petrin, L. Moreno-Uribe, S. Rengasamy Venugopalan. In 2026 ACPA Annual Meeting.
- The Underlying Genetic Architecture of Orofacial Cleft, Mojisola Olujitan, Emmanuel Aladenika, Azeez Alade, Waheed Awotoye, Tamara Busch, Natalie Ibarra, Lord J.J Gowans, Aline Petrin, Eric Van Otterloo, Erliang Zeng, Michael Schneiders, Azeez Butali. In: 2025 IADR Annual Meeting & Exhibition, Barcelona.
- Saba Manafi, L.A. Machado De Paula, K. Kannenberg, L.M. Moreno Uribe, S. Rengasamy Venugopalan, A.L. Petrin, E. Van Otterloo. Functional Assessment of an Oculo-Auriculo-Vertebral Spectrum Associated Variant in Zebrafish. In: 2025 AADOCR/CADR Annual Meeting & Exhibition, New York.
- Austin B. Hinkle, L. Alves Machado De Paula, H. Keen, M. Chimenti, M.L. Marazita, J. Murray, L.M. Moreno Uribe, A.L. Petrin. Whole Genome Sequencing of Monozygotic Twins Discordant for Orofacial Clefts. In: 2025 AADOCR/CADR Annual Meeting & Exhibition, New York.
- Christina E. Spencer, L. Alves Machado De Paula, F. Qian1, W.O. Awotoye, S.M. Dabdoub, A. Butali, M.L. Marazita, L.M. Moreno Uribe, A.L. Petrin. DNA Methylation’s Role in Laterality of Nonsyndromic Orofacial Clefts. In: 2025 AADOCR/CADR Annual Meeting & Exhibition, New York.
- Saba Manafi, L.A. Machado De Paula, K. Kannenberg, L.M. Moreno Uribe, S. Rengasamy Venugopalan, A.L. Petrin, E. Van Otterloo. Functional Assessment of an Oculo-Auriculo-Vertebral Spectrum Associated Variant in Zebrafish. In: 2025 Iowa Section of AADOCR Research Day, Iowa City.
- Austin B. Hinkle, L. Alves Machado De Paula, H. Keen, M. Chimenti, M.L. Marazita, J. Murray, L.M. Moreno Uribe, A.L. Petrin. Whole Genome Sequencing of Monozygotic Twins Discordant for Orofacial Clefts. In: 2025 Iowa Section of AADOCR Research Day, Iowa City.
- Christina E. Spencer, L. Alves Machado De Paula, F. Qian1, W.O. Awotoye, S.M. Dabdoub, A. Butali, M.L. Marazita, L.M. Moreno Uribe, A.L. Petrin. DNA Methylation’s Role in Laterality of Nonsyndromic Orofacial Clefts. In: 2025 Iowa Section of AADOCR Research Day, Iowa City.
- Machado-Paula, LA, Romanowska, J; Lie, RT; Hovey, L, Doolittle, B; Awotoye, W, Dunlay, L, Xie, XJ; Zeng, E; Butali A; Marazita, ML; Murray, JC; Moreno-Uribe, LM, Petrin, AL. Genetic-epigenetic interactions (meQTLs) in orofacial clefts etiology. medRxiv 2025.02.09.25321494; doi: 10.1101/2025.02.09.25321494.
Selected Grants & Contracts
- Expanding the orofacial cleft omics resources (X01), Gabriella Miller Kids First Pediatric Research Program, Petrin (Scientific Contributor)
- A Twin Approach for Genome-Wide Differential DNA Methylation in Orofacial Clefting (KBoost); University of Iowa Institute for Clinical and Translational Science; Petrin, Aline (Principal Investigator)
- A Twin Approach for genome-wide differential DNA methylation in orofacial clefting; NIH/NIDCR; Petrin, Aline (Principal Investigator)
- Investigating the contribution of DNA methylation to the laterality of clefting; University of Iowa College of Dentistry and Dental Clinics; Awotoye, Waheed (Co-Investigator), Petrin, Aline (Principal Investigator)
- American Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research (AADOCR) MIND the Future Program; American Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research (AADOCR)
- Functional validation of genetic-epigenetic interactions in orofacial clefts; University of Iowa College of Dentistry and Dental Clinics; Van Otterloo, Eric (Co-Investigator), Petrin, Aline (Principal Investigator)