The war in Ukraine has produced widespread devastation, including family separation, injuries, and long-lasting psychological effects on soldiers and civilians. Since the war began in 2022, affected people have often been forced into survival mode while needs change in real time. Feinberg investigators Sara Huston and Steven P. Cohen collaborate with scientists in Ukraine to study impacts and improve outcomes. Huston leads a DNA-focused working group, Global Fam DNA, to pilot a database that supports immediate reunification of rescued Ukrainian children with their families and supports future searches. In 2025, Huston and colleagues traveled to Warsaw and Kyiv to interview families, partner with local organizations and universities, and build trust to design effective reunification systems. The work also includes efforts to better treat amputees’ pain.
"Since the war began in 2022, those impacted have been in survival mode, responding to needs in real time. Two Feinberg investigators, Sara Huston, MS, and Steven P. Cohen, MD, have been collaborating with scientists in Ukraine to better understand how war is impacting Ukrainians through inquiries into DNA use for family reunification and better treating amputees' pain."
"Huston's work has led her to work on a variety of different projects, most recently leading the working group, Global Fam DNA, to pilot the use of DNA for a database dedicated to supporting immediate reunification of rescued Ukrainian children with their families and ongoing searches into the future."
"In the late summer of 2025, Huston and colleagues traveled to Warsaw, Poland and Kyiv, Ukraine to collect more information and start interviewing Ukrainian families. The team partnered with local organizations and Universities in Kyiv to build connections on the ground. Their visits are an important part of their work - building trust and learning more about the experiences from experts and families so they can understand how to build systems that could help reunify families."
"In collaboration with the Institute for Policy Research at the Buffett Institute of Global Affairs, Huston has been leading a working group designed to reunite Ukrainian families through DNA. A research assistant professor of Pediatrics, Huston was trained in genetics but began working with the International Commission on Missing Persons ( ICMP), a treaty-based organization leading social and political policy to better locate missing persons globally."
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