This application requests continuation of support for a Mental Health Clinical Research Center designed to coordinate and integrate multidisciplinary research on the genetic epidemiology of psychiatric disorders. This multidisciplinary research is organized and coordinated by means of 6 core facilities which have specific functions and goals related to consultation, support facilities and technology, and training in their areas of expertise. The Special Populations and Follow-up Facility systematically ascertains all twins and special groups of singletons born in Missouri after 1968 by means of computerized birth registers and other records useful in tracking subjects. The Clinical Assessment Facility supports clinical assessment technology for subjects of all ages in MHCRC-sponsored projects. The Genetic Methodology Facility provides quantitative genetic methodology and an integrated computing environment for management and analysis of family studies. The Biostatistics Facility provides general statistical consultation and expertise in study design and analysis. The Molecular Neurobiology and Genetics Lab provides laboratory facilities and technological support services for molecular neurobiological projects aimed at discovering the function of genes contributing to mental illness, including linkage disequilibrium and physical mapping of disease loci, molecular genetic characterization of loci and analysis of disease gene products. The Administrative Core monitors and coordinates all these activities. These core activities facilitate and integrate work on 4 training grants and 25 independently -funded research projects in genetic epidemiology that are sponsored by the MHCRC.
| Zietsch, Brendan P; Verweij, Karin J H; Heath, Andrew C et al. (2011) Variation in human mate choice: simultaneously investigating heritability, parental influence, sexual imprinting, and assortative mating. Am Nat 177:605-16 |
