The objective of this Mentored Research Scientist Development Award is to establish Dr. Matthew Keller as an independent investigator in psychiatric genetics. The application brings together advances from evolutionary genetics, statistical genetics, and psychiatry to build an interdisciplinary research program for understanding the genetic variation underlying mental disorders. Specifically, training and research focus on how copy number variants (CNVs) and extended homozygosity (EH) influence mental disorder risk. Efforts to link such variation to mental disorders are just beginning, and so there is a potential for making important contributions to this area of inquiry. Evolutionary genetics helps situate findings within a rich conceptual framework, linking them to a deep literature and suggesting several critical hypotheses. The training goal is to develop the skills needed to launch an independently funded, interdisciplinary research career. The training includes: (1) direct collaboration and training from three mentors and four consultants who are leaders in core aspects of this application;(2) coursework in bioinformatics, statistical genetics, psychiatry, and evolutionary genetics;(3) attendance at workshops and conferences covering analysis of genomic data, psychiatric genetics, and evolutionary genetics;(4) teaching courses and mentoring graduate students;and (5) guidance in writing an R01 application. The Institute for Behavioral Genetics offers rich intellectual environments for achieving this training. The research project will use whole genome SNP data from several sources to examine how CNVs and EH are related to schizophrenia and major depression. Studying CNVs and EH allows assessment of common as well as rare genetic variants. This is important in its own right, but also can provide important clues to the evolutionary history of mental disorders and the genes affecting them. This research has the potential to further the evolutionary understanding of mental disorders, lead to concrete data on the molecular mechanisms that contribute to their risk, and suggest specific avenues of future research.

Public Health Relevance

The proposed project should increase the molecular genetic and evolutionary understanding of schizophrenia and major depression, clarifying the degree to which rare versus common variants account for their risk, leading to follow-up (e.g., resequencing) investigations of important genomic regions, and potentially informing translational research aimed at developing diagnostic tests and treatments related to gene dosage.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Type
Research Scientist Development Award - Research & Training (K01)
Project #
5K01MH085812-02
Application #
8012296
Study Section
Behavioral Genetics and Epidemiology Study Section (BGES)
Program Officer
Vogel, Michael W
Project Start
2010-01-11
Project End
2014-12-31
Budget Start
2011-01-01
Budget End
2011-12-31
Support Year
2
Fiscal Year
2011
Total Cost
$159,181
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Colorado at Boulder
Department
Psychology
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
007431505
City
Boulder
State
CO
Country
United States
Zip Code
80309
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Lam, Max; Trampush, Joey W; Yu, Jin et al. (2017) Large-Scale Cognitive GWAS Meta-Analysis Reveals Tissue-Specific Neural Expression and Potential Nootropic Drug Targets. Cell Rep 21:2597-2613
Lee, Anthony J; Mitchem, Dorian G; Wright, Margaret J et al. (2016) Facial averageness and genetic quality: Testing heritability, genetic correlation with attractiveness, and the paternal age effect. Evol Hum Behav 37:61-66
Franke, Barbara; Stein, Jason L; Ripke, Stephan et al. (2016) Genetic influences on schizophrenia and subcortical brain volumes: large-scale proof of concept. Nat Neurosci 19:420-431
Howrigan, D P; Simonson, M A; Davies, G et al. (2016) Genome-wide autozygosity is associated with lower general cognitive ability. Mol Psychiatry 21:837-43
Palmer, Rohan H C; McGeary, John E; Heath, Andrew C et al. (2015) Shared additive genetic influences on DSM-IV criteria for alcohol dependence in subjects of European ancestry. Addiction 110:1922-31
Haysom, Hannah J; Mitchem, Dorian G; Lee, Anthony J et al. (2015) A test of the facultative calibration/reactive heritability model of extraversion. Evol Hum Behav 36:414-419
Keller, Matthew C; Visscher, Peter M (2015) Genetic variation links creativity to psychiatric disorders. Nat Neurosci 18:928-9
Dick, Danielle M; Agrawal, Arpana; Keller, Matthew C et al. (2015) Candidate gene-environment interaction research: reflections and recommendations. Perspect Psychol Sci 10:37-59
Mitchem, Dorian G; Zietsch, Brendan P; Wright, Margaret J et al. (2015) NO RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN INTELLIGENCE AND FACIAL ATTRACTIVENESS IN A LARGE, GENETICALLY INFORMATIVE SAMPLE. Evol Hum Behav 36:240-247

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