Featured Publications
Bi-ancestral depression GWAS in the Million Veteran Program and meta-analysis in >1.2 million individuals highlight new therapeutic directions
Levey DF, Stein MB, Wendt FR, Pathak GA, Zhou H, Aslan M, Quaden R, Harrington KM, Nuñez YZ, Overstreet C, Radhakrishnan K, Sanacora G, McIntosh AM, Shi J, Shringarpure SS, Concato J, Polimanti R, Gelernter J. Bi-ancestral depression GWAS in the Million Veteran Program and meta-analysis in >1.2 million individuals highlight new therapeutic directions. Nature Neuroscience 2021, 24: 954-963. PMID: 34045744, PMCID: PMC8404304, DOI: 10.1038/s41593-021-00860-2.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsTranscriptome-wide association studyMillion Veteran ProgramTranscriptome-wide association study (TWAS) analysisGenomic risk lociComplex psychiatric traitsGenetic architectureRisk lociGene expressionAssociation studiesLikely pathogenicityPsychiatric traitsVeteran ProgramNew therapeutic directionEuropean ancestryNew insightsAncestryUK BiobankAfrican ancestrySubstantial replicationExpressionLarge independent cohortsGWASTherapeutic directionsGenesLoci
2022
Multi-trait genome-wide association study of opioid addiction: OPRM1 and beyond
Gaddis N, Mathur R, Marks J, Zhou L, Quach B, Waldrop A, Levran O, Agrawal A, Randesi M, Adelson M, Jeffries PW, Martin NG, Degenhardt L, Montgomery GW, Wetherill L, Lai D, Bucholz K, Foroud T, Porjesz B, Runarsdottir V, Tyrfingsson T, Einarsson G, Gudbjartsson DF, Webb BT, Crist RC, Kranzler HR, Sherva R, Zhou H, Hulse G, Wildenauer D, Kelty E, Attia J, Holliday EG, McEvoy M, Scott RJ, Schwab SG, Maher BS, Gruza R, Kreek MJ, Nelson EC, Thorgeirsson T, Stefansson K, Berrettini WH, Gelernter J, Edenberg HJ, Bierut L, Hancock DB, Johnson EO. Multi-trait genome-wide association study of opioid addiction: OPRM1 and beyond. Scientific Reports 2022, 12: 16873. PMID: 36207451, PMCID: PMC9546890, DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-21003-y.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsGenome-wide significant associationMulti-trait genome-wide association studyNovel genome-wide significant associationsGenome-wide association studiesGenomic structural equationGene-based analysisRelated traitsAssociation studiesGenetic correlationsEuropean ancestryA118G variantConsortium dataNew geneticsG variantGWASPPP6CLociPleiotropicGeneticsVariantsTraitsPhenotypeOA phenotypeFurinAncestry
2019
International meta-analysis of PTSD genome-wide association studies identifies sex- and ancestry-specific genetic risk loci
Nievergelt CM, Maihofer AX, Klengel T, Atkinson EG, Chen CY, Choi KW, Coleman JRI, Dalvie S, Duncan LE, Gelernter J, Levey DF, Logue MW, Polimanti R, Provost AC, Ratanatharathorn A, Stein MB, Torres K, Aiello AE, Almli LM, Amstadter AB, Andersen SB, Andreassen OA, Arbisi PA, Ashley-Koch AE, Austin SB, Avdibegovic E, Babić D, Bækvad-Hansen M, Baker DG, Beckham JC, Bierut LJ, Bisson JI, Boks MP, Bolger EA, Børglum AD, Bradley B, Brashear M, Breen G, Bryant RA, Bustamante AC, Bybjerg-Grauholm J, Calabrese JR, Caldas- de- Almeida J, Dale AM, Daly MJ, Daskalakis NP, Deckert J, Delahanty DL, Dennis MF, Disner SG, Domschke K, Dzubur-Kulenovic A, Erbes CR, Evans A, Farrer LA, Feeny NC, Flory JD, Forbes D, Franz CE, Galea S, Garrett ME, Gelaye B, Geuze E, Gillespie C, Uka AG, Gordon SD, Guffanti G, Hammamieh R, Harnal S, Hauser MA, Heath AC, Hemmings SMJ, Hougaard DM, Jakovljevic M, Jett M, Johnson EO, Jones I, Jovanovic T, Qin XJ, Junglen AG, Karstoft KI, Kaufman ML, Kessler RC, Khan A, Kimbrel NA, King AP, Koen N, Kranzler HR, Kremen WS, Lawford BR, Lebois LAM, Lewis CE, Linnstaedt SD, Lori A, Lugonja B, Luykx JJ, Lyons MJ, Maples-Keller J, Marmar C, Martin AR, Martin NG, Maurer D, Mavissakalian MR, McFarlane A, McGlinchey RE, McLaughlin KA, McLean SA, McLeay S, Mehta D, Milberg WP, Miller MW, Morey RA, Morris CP, Mors O, Mortensen PB, Neale BM, Nelson EC, Nordentoft M, Norman SB, O’Donnell M, Orcutt HK, Panizzon MS, Peters ES, Peterson AL, Peverill M, Pietrzak RH, Polusny MA, Rice JP, Ripke S, Risbrough VB, Roberts AL, Rothbaum AO, Rothbaum BO, Roy-Byrne P, Ruggiero K, Rung A, Rutten BPF, Saccone NL, Sanchez SE, Schijven D, Seedat S, Seligowski AV, Seng JS, Sheerin CM, Silove D, Smith AK, Smoller JW, Sponheim SR, Stein DJ, Stevens JS, Sumner JA, Teicher MH, Thompson WK, Trapido E, Uddin M, Ursano RJ, van den Heuvel LL, Van Hooff M, Vermetten E, Vinkers CH, Voisey J, Wang Y, Wang Z, Werge T, Williams MA, Williamson DE, Winternitz S, Wolf C, Wolf EJ, Wolff JD, Yehuda R, Young RM, Young KA, Zhao H, Zoellner LA, Liberzon I, Ressler KJ, Haas M, Koenen KC. International meta-analysis of PTSD genome-wide association studies identifies sex- and ancestry-specific genetic risk loci. Nature Communications 2019, 10: 4558. PMID: 31594949, PMCID: PMC6783435, DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-12576-w.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsGenome-wide association studiesDisease genesAssociation studiesGenome-wide significant lociAfrican-ancestry analysesNon-coding RNAsGenetic risk lociParkinson's disease genesEuropean ancestry populationsNovel genesSignificant lociGenetic variationSpecific lociRisk lociAdditional lociLociAncestry populationsCommon variantsHeritability estimatesGenesGWASRNABiologySNPsPARK2Genetic associations with suicide attempt severity and genetic overlap with major depression
Levey DF, Polimanti R, Cheng Z, Zhou H, Nuñez YZ, Jain S, He F, Sun X, Ursano RJ, Kessler RC, Smoller JW, Stein MB, Kranzler HR, Gelernter J. Genetic associations with suicide attempt severity and genetic overlap with major depression. Translational Psychiatry 2019, 9: 22. PMID: 30655502, PMCID: PMC6336846, DOI: 10.1038/s41398-018-0340-2.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsGWS associationsGenome-wide significant signalsCircadian clock regulationWide association studyGenetic overlapCatabolism of tyrosineClock regulationFirst GWASSignificant genetic overlapDiscovery GWASChromosome 12Large GWASMolecular mechanismsAssociation studiesChromosome 15Chromosome 18Genetic influencesDiscovery sampleGenetic associationSuicide attempt severityReplication analysisGWASAnaerobic energy productionGenetic risk factorsPolygenic risk scores
2018
GWAS and network analysis of co‐occurring nicotine and alcohol dependence identifies significantly associated alleles and network
Xiang B, Yang B, Zhou H, Kranzler H, Gelernter J. GWAS and network analysis of co‐occurring nicotine and alcohol dependence identifies significantly associated alleles and network. American Journal Of Medical Genetics Part B Neuropsychiatric Genetics 2018, 180: 3-11. PMID: 30488612, PMCID: PMC6918694, DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.b.32692.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH KeywordsAdultAlcoholismAllelesBlack or African AmericanComorbidityEthanolFemaleG(M2) Activator ProteinGene FrequencyGene Regulatory NetworksGenetic Predisposition to DiseaseGenome-Wide Association StudyHumansMaleMiddle AgedNicotinePolymorphism, Single NucleotideProtein Interaction MapsRisk FactorsTobacco Use DisorderWhite PeopleConceptsGene subnetworksProtein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysisGenome-wide significant variantsInteraction network analysisGene-set analysisFunctional enrichment analysisSignificant SNPsQuantitative lociNerve growth factor pathwayGene enrichmentEnrichment analysisNetwork analysisGenetic traitsGrowth factor pathwaysRisk genesSignificant variantsGenesStudy of AddictionSNPsFactor pathwayGM2AAmphetamine addictionGenetic riskGWASSubnetworksDiscovery of the first genome-wide significant risk loci for attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder
Demontis D, Walters RK, Martin J, Mattheisen M, Als TD, Agerbo E, Baldursson G, Belliveau R, Bybjerg-Grauholm J, Bækvad-Hansen M, Cerrato F, Chambert K, Churchhouse C, Dumont A, Eriksson N, Gandal M, Goldstein JI, Grasby KL, Grove J, Gudmundsson OO, Hansen CS, Hauberg ME, Hollegaard MV, Howrigan DP, Huang H, Maller JB, Martin AR, Martin NG, Moran J, Pallesen J, Palmer DS, Pedersen CB, Pedersen MG, Poterba T, Poulsen JB, Ripke S, Robinson EB, Satterstrom FK, Stefansson H, Stevens C, Turley P, Walters GB, Won H, Wright MJ, Andreassen O, Asherson P, Burton C, Boomsma D, Cormand B, Dalsgaard S, Franke B, Gelernter J, Geschwind D, Hakonarson H, Haavik J, Kranzler H, Kuntsi J, Langley K, Lesch K, Middeldorp C, Reif A, Rohde L, Roussos P, Schachar R, Sklar P, Sonuga-Barke E, Sullivan P, Thapar A, Tung J, Waldman I, Medland S, Stefansson K, Nordentoft M, Hougaard D, Werge T, Mors O, Mortensen P, Daly M, Faraone S, Børglum A, Neale B. Discovery of the first genome-wide significant risk loci for attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Nature Genetics 2018, 51: 63-75. PMID: 30478444, PMCID: PMC6481311, DOI: 10.1038/s41588-018-0269-7.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsGenome-wide significant risk lociFunction intolerant genesGenome-wide associationSignificant risk lociGenome-wide significanceAttention-deficit/hyperactivity disorderCommon genetic variantsGenomic regionsIntolerant genesIndependent lociRegulatory marksHeritable traitRisk lociDeficit/hyperactivity disorderGenetic variantsGenetic overlapStudy-specific differencesLociHyperactivity disorderImportant new informationUnderlying biologyChildhood behavioral disordersVariantsStrong concordanceGWAS
2017
Largest GWAS of PTSD (N=20 070) yields genetic overlap with schizophrenia and sex differences in heritability
Duncan LE, Ratanatharathorn A, Aiello AE, Almli LM, Amstadter AB, Ashley-Koch AE, Baker DG, Beckham JC, Bierut LJ, Bisson J, Bradley B, Chen CY, Dalvie S, Farrer LA, Galea S, Garrett ME, Gelernter JE, Guffanti G, Hauser MA, Johnson EO, Kessler RC, Kimbrel NA, King A, Koen N, Kranzler HR, Logue MW, Maihofer AX, Martin AR, Miller MW, Morey RA, Nugent NR, Rice JP, Ripke S, Roberts AL, Saccone NL, Smoller JW, Stein DJ, Stein MB, Sumner JA, Uddin M, Ursano RJ, Wildman DE, Yehuda R, Zhao H, Daly MJ, Liberzon I, Ressler KJ, Nievergelt CM, Koenen KC. Largest GWAS of PTSD (N=20 070) yields genetic overlap with schizophrenia and sex differences in heritability. Molecular Psychiatry 2017, 23: 666-673. PMID: 28439101, PMCID: PMC5696105, DOI: 10.1038/mp.2017.77.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH KeywordsAdultBipolar DisorderBlack or African AmericanCase-Control StudiesDepressive Disorder, MajorFemaleGenetic Predisposition to DiseaseGenome-Wide Association StudyHumansMaleMiddle AgedMultifactorial InheritancePolymorphism, Single NucleotideRisk FactorsSchizophreniaSex CharacteristicsSex FactorsStress Disorders, Post-TraumaticWhite PeopleConceptsSingle nucleotide polymorphismsRisk lociSNP-level summary statisticsGenomic data resourcesGenome-wide significanceMolecular genetic dataComplex genetic disorderPolygenic risk predictionGenetic dataAncestral diversityLarge GWASGenetic indicesDiverse phenotypesGenetic riskHeritability estimatesLociSummary statisticsGenetic disordersHeritabilityGenetic influencesGWASDiversityPhenotypeTransethnicStrong evidenceWidespread signatures of positive selection in common risk alleles associated to autism spectrum disorder
Polimanti R, Gelernter J. Widespread signatures of positive selection in common risk alleles associated to autism spectrum disorder. PLOS Genetics 2017, 13: e1006618. PMID: 28187187, PMCID: PMC5328401, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1006618.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH KeywordsAllelesAttention Deficit Disorder with HyperactivityAutism Spectrum DisorderBipolar DisorderBrainComputational BiologyDepressive Disorder, MajorGene Expression ProfilingGene OntologyGene Regulatory NetworksGenetic Predisposition to DiseaseGenome-Wide Association StudyGenomicsHumansPituitary GlandPolymorphism, Single NucleotideRisk FactorsSchizophreniaTranscriptomeConceptsPositive selectionGene Ontology enrichmentGene expression enrichmentPrevious genetic studiesGWAS summary statisticsNervous system developmentCommon risk allelesPsychiatric Genomics ConsortiumSystems geneticsOntology enrichmentRisk allelesSynapse organizationWidespread signaturesEvolutionary processesGenetic studiesGenomics ConsortiumGWASHuman evolutionAllelesIncomplete selectionEffect directionMinor alleleComplete selectionEnrichmentSummary statistics
2015
The genetics of alcohol dependence: Twin and SNP‐based heritability, and genome‐wide association study based on AUDIT scores
Mbarek H, Milaneschi Y, Fedko IO, Hottenga JJ, de Moor MH, Jansen R, Gelernter J, Sherva R, Willemsen G, Boomsma DI, Penninx BW, Vink JM. The genetics of alcohol dependence: Twin and SNP‐based heritability, and genome‐wide association study based on AUDIT scores. American Journal Of Medical Genetics Part B Neuropsychiatric Genetics 2015, 168: 739-748. PMID: 26365420, DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.b.32379.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsGenome-wide complex trait analysisWide association studySNP effect concordance analysisAssociation studiesTop hitsSNP-based heritabilityTwin-based heritabilityPrevious genetic studiesComplex trait analysisFirst GWASGenetic basisTrait analysisGenetic studiesCommon SNPsSNP effectsPrevious GWASGWASLarge-scale biobanksHeritabilityHeritability estimates
2014
Genome-Wide Association Study of Copy Number Variations (CNVs) with Opioid Dependence
Li D, Zhao H, Kranzler HR, Li MD, Jensen KP, Zayats T, Farrer LA, Gelernter J. Genome-Wide Association Study of Copy Number Variations (CNVs) with Opioid Dependence. Neuropsychopharmacology 2014, 40: 1016-1026. PMID: 25345593, PMCID: PMC4330517, DOI: 10.1038/npp.2014.290.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH KeywordsAlpha CateninChromosome DeletionChromosome DisordersChromosomes, Human, Pair 18DNA Copy Number VariationsFemaleGenetic Predisposition to DiseaseGenome-Wide Association StudyGenotypeHumansLeukocyte Common AntigensMaleMeta-Analysis as TopicOpioid-Related DisordersReceptor-Like Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases, Class 2ConceptsCopy number variationsAssociation studiesNumber variationsGenome-wide association studiesWide association studyUnique copy number variationsCommon copy number variationFirst GWASHarbor genesMissing heritabilityHuman genomeGenomic variationBiological importanceGenomeGenesGenetic risk factorsHeritabilitySubstance dependence riskGWASDuplicationDeletionReplicationPolymorphismVariationSmall proportion