Featured Publications
Towards understanding and predicting suicidality in women: biomarkers and clinical risk assessment
Levey DF, Niculescu EM, Le-Niculescu H, Dainton HL, Phalen PL, Ladd TB, Weber H, Belanger E, Graham DL, Khan FN, Vanipenta NP, Stage EC, Ballew A, Yard M, Gelbart T, Shekhar A, Schork NJ, Kurian SM, Sandusky GE, Salomon DR, Niculescu AB. Towards understanding and predicting suicidality in women: biomarkers and clinical risk assessment. Molecular Psychiatry 2016, 21: 768-785. PMID: 27046645, DOI: 10.1038/mp.2016.31.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsFuture hospitalizationConvergent functional genomics approachSuicide completersPrimary end pointSingle blood biomarkerTop biomarkersReceiver-operating characteristic areaRisk prediction scoreClinical risk assessmentDisorder participantsIndependent test cohortForm of APPProphylactic benefitNeurotrophic effectsBlood biomarkersSleep abnormalitiesPsychiatric hospitalizationHospitalizationMood disordersTest cohortCandidate biomarkersSuicide completionSuicidal ideationDrug lithiumChronic stress
2023
Towards precision medicine for anxiety disorders: objective assessment, risk prediction, pharmacogenomics, and repurposed drugs
Roseberry K, Le-Niculescu H, Levey D, Bhagar R, Soe K, Rogers J, Palkowitz S, Pina N, Anastasiadis W, Gill S, Kurian S, Shekhar A, Niculescu A. Towards precision medicine for anxiety disorders: objective assessment, risk prediction, pharmacogenomics, and repurposed drugs. Molecular Psychiatry 2023, 28: 2894-2912. PMID: 36878964, PMCID: PMC10615756, DOI: 10.1038/s41380-023-01998-0.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsIndependent cohortCandidate biomarkersPsychiatric subjectsPersonalized approachConvergent functional genomics approachAnxiety disordersBest overall evidenceAdverse life eventsClinical worseningGene expression signaturesBlood biomarkersAnxiety medicationClinical utilityPsychiatric disordersHigh anxiety stateSevere anxietyUntreated anxietyDecrease qualityIndividual biomarkersAddiction potentialBiomarkersTop biomarkersAnxiety statesRisk predictionExpression signatures
2021
Precision medicine for mood disorders: objective assessment, risk prediction, pharmacogenomics, and repurposed drugs
Le-Niculescu H, Roseberry K, Gill SS, Levey DF, Phalen PL, Mullen J, Williams A, Bhairo S, Voegtline T, Davis H, Shekhar A, Kurian SM, Niculescu AB. Precision medicine for mood disorders: objective assessment, risk prediction, pharmacogenomics, and repurposed drugs. Molecular Psychiatry 2021, 26: 2776-2804. PMID: 33828235, PMCID: PMC8505261, DOI: 10.1038/s41380-021-01061-w.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsBlood gene expression biomarkersTop candidate biomarkersMood disordersIndependent cohortStrongest overall evidenceBlood testsTop biomarkersGene expression biomarkersCandidate biomarkersConvergent functional genomics approachMood statesPotential new antidepressantsPsychiatric disorder patientsOverall evidenceVisual analog scaleSimple visual analog scaleMatching of patientsPanel of biomarkersPrecision medicineMonitoring of responseBipolar mood disorderExpression biomarkersCell differentiation functionsObjective assessmentSevere mania
2016
Mood, stress and longevity: convergence on ANK3
Rangaraju S, Levey DF, Nho K, Jain N, Andrews KD, Le-Niculescu H, Salomon DR, Saykin AJ, Petrascheck M, Niculescu AB. Mood, stress and longevity: convergence on ANK3. Molecular Psychiatry 2016, 21: 1037-1049. PMID: 27217151, PMCID: PMC9798616, DOI: 10.1038/mp.2016.65.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsSignificant single nucleotide polymorphismsC. elegansGenome-wide association study approachLongevity/agingFunctional genomics approachConvergent functional genomics approachOrthologs of genesOxidative stress resistanceCorresponding human orthologsHutchinson-Gilford progeria syndromeSeries of genesTop candidate genesGene expression studiesOlder wormsUnbiased drug screenANK3 expressionGenomic approachesAntagonistic pleiotropyGene expression biomarkersHuman orthologLow expression levelsStress resistanceSingle nucleotide polymorphismsBioinformatics analysisTop genes
2015
Understanding and predicting suicidality using a combined genomic and clinical risk assessment approach
Niculescu AB, Levey DF, Phalen PL, Le-Niculescu H, Dainton HD, Jain N, Belanger E, James A, George S, Weber H, Graham DL, Schweitzer R, Ladd TB, Learman R, Niculescu EM, Vanipenta NP, Khan FN, Mullen J, Shankar G, Cook S, Humbert C, Ballew A, Yard M, Gelbart T, Shekhar A, Schork NJ, Kurian SM, Sandusky GE, Salomon DR. Understanding and predicting suicidality using a combined genomic and clinical risk assessment approach. Molecular Psychiatry 2015, 20: 1266-1285. PMID: 26283638, PMCID: PMC4759104, DOI: 10.1038/mp.2015.112.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsFuture hospitalizationPsychiatric diagnosisSuicidal ideationCandidate biomarkersBipolar disorderPsychiatric participantsBlood gene expression biomarkersSuicidal behaviorConvergent functional genomics approachSuicide completersPreventive lifestyle modificationsTop candidate biomarkersTop biomarkersAcute panic attacksPotential therapeutic targetBipolar disorder participantsMajor psychiatric disordersIndependent test cohortSuicide risk factorsThoughts of suicideLifestyle modificationAcute suicidalityRisk factorsInflammatory responsePsychological stress responses
2014
Genetic risk prediction and neurobiological understanding of alcoholism
Levey DF, Le-Niculescu H, Frank J, Ayalew M, Jain N, Kirlin B, Learman R, Winiger E, Rodd Z, Shekhar A, Schork N, Kiefe F, Wodarz N, Müller-Myhsok B, Dahmen N, Nöthen M, Sherva R, Farrer L, Smith A, Kranzler H, Rietschel M, Gelernter J, Niculescu A. Genetic risk prediction and neurobiological understanding of alcoholism. Translational Psychiatry 2014, 4: e391-e391. PMID: 24844177, PMCID: PMC4035721, DOI: 10.1038/tp.2014.29.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsTop candidate genesCandidate genesGenetic risk predictionGenome-wide association study dataFunctional genomics approachConvergent functional genomics approachAssociation study dataGene expression dataInitial discovery stepGenomic approachesKey genesSignal transductionSignificant genetic overlapTop genesRelevant genesBiological pathwaysExpression dataTop findingsGenesStrict Bonferroni correctionGenetic overlapProtein knockout miceSmall panelFatty acidsKnockout mice
2013
Discovery and validation of blood biomarkers for suicidality
Le-Niculescu H, Levey DF, Ayalew M, Palmer L, Gavrin LM, Jain N, Winiger E, Bhosrekar S, Shankar G, Radel M, Bellanger E, Duckworth H, Olesek K, Vergo J, Schweitzer R, Yard M, Ballew A, Shekhar A, Sandusky GE, Schork NJ, Kurian SM, Salomon DR, Niculescu AB. Discovery and validation of blood biomarkers for suicidality. Molecular Psychiatry 2013, 18: 1249-1264. PMID: 23958961, PMCID: PMC3835939, DOI: 10.1038/mp.2013.95.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH KeywordsAcetyltransferasesAdultAgedBiomarkersBipolar DisorderGene ExpressionGene Expression ProfilingGenomicsHumansIntracellular Signaling Peptides and ProteinsMaleMAP Kinase Kinase Kinase 3Membrane ProteinsMiddle AgedMyristoylated Alanine-Rich C Kinase SubstrateOligonucleotide Array Sequence AnalysisPsychotic DisordersPTEN PhosphohydrolaseSuicidal IdeationSuicideConceptsBlood biomarkersMood disordersBlood gene expression biomarkersConvergent functional genomics approachCase-case designVisual analog scaleHigh-risk populationSimple visual analog scaleBlood expression levelsAge-matched cohortCause of deathMajor mood disordersBlood of subjectsBonferroni correctionExpression levelsBipolar disorder subjectsPsychosis subjectsBlood levelsFuture hospitalizationTime of testingMedication targetsPast hospitalizationHospitalization dataBipolar cohortCompleter group
2012
Convergent functional genomics of schizophrenia: from comprehensive understanding to genetic risk prediction
Ayalew M, Le-Niculescu H, Levey DF, Jain N, Changala B, Patel SD, Winiger E, Breier A, Shekhar A, Amdur R, Koller D, Nurnberger JI, Corvin A, Geyer M, Tsuang MT, Salomon D, Schork NJ, Fanous AH, O'Donovan MC, Niculescu AB. Convergent functional genomics of schizophrenia: from comprehensive understanding to genetic risk prediction. Molecular Psychiatry 2012, 17: 887-905. PMID: 22584867, PMCID: PMC3427857, DOI: 10.1038/mp.2012.37.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsTop candidate genesCandidate genesG protein-coupled receptor signalingGenome-wide association study dataFunctional genomics approachReceptor signalingConvergent functional genomics approachAssociation study dataGene expression studiesFunctional genomicsGenomic approachesGlutamate receptor signalingSignificant genetic overlapSingle nucleotide polymorphismsEnvironmental stressTop genesExpression studiesPathway analysisBiological pathwaysGenetic risk predictionGenesCell adhesionBiological landscapeGenetic overlapSignaling