Featured Publications
Synergistic effects of common schizophrenia risk variants
Schrode N, Ho SM, Yamamuro K, Dobbyn A, Huckins L, Matos MR, Cheng E, Deans PJM, Flaherty E, Barretto N, Topol A, Alganem K, Abadali S, Gregory J, Hoelzli E, Phatnani H, Singh V, Girish D, Aronow B, Mccullumsmith R, Hoffman GE, Stahl EA, Morishita H, Sklar P, Brennand KJ. Synergistic effects of common schizophrenia risk variants. Nature Genetics 2019, 51: 1475-1485. PMID: 31548722, PMCID: PMC6778520, DOI: 10.1038/s41588-019-0497-5.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH KeywordsChloride ChannelsCRISPR-Cas SystemsFemaleFurinGene EditingGene Expression RegulationGenetic Predisposition to DiseaseGenome-Wide Association StudyHumansInduced Pluripotent Stem CellsMaleMonomeric Clathrin Assembly ProteinsPolymorphism, Single NucleotideQuantitative Trait LociSchizophreniaSNARE ProteinsConceptsExpression quantitative trait lociComplex genetic disorderEQTL genesCommon variantsQuantitative trait lociRisk variantsGene expression differencesPsychiatric disease riskCommon risk variantsPluripotent stem cellsSchizophrenia risk variantsGenetic disordersTrait lociGene perturbationsGenetic approachesExpression differencesGene editingStem cellsGeneralizable phenomenonSynaptic functionGenesVariantsCRISPRLociSpecific effects
2022
Using Stem Cell Models to Explore the Genetics Underlying Psychiatric Disorders: Linking Risk Variants, Genes, and Biology in Brain Disease
Brennand K. Using Stem Cell Models to Explore the Genetics Underlying Psychiatric Disorders: Linking Risk Variants, Genes, and Biology in Brain Disease. American Journal Of Psychiatry 2022, 179: 322-328. PMID: 35491564, DOI: 10.1176/appi.ajp.20220235.Commentaries, Editorials and LettersConceptsRisk variantsFunctional genomic studiesCell typesDiverse cell typesPatient-specific variantsStem cell modelGenomic studiesSignificant lociStem cell-based approachesGenetic studiesExciting questionsCell-based approachesEngineering strategiesGenetic profileNovel therapeutic interventionsCell modelPluripotent stem cell-based approachesVariantsComplex interplayGenetic riskCRISPRGenesLociBiologyTherapeutic interventions
2020
Integration of CRISPR-engineering and hiPSC-based models of psychiatric genomics
Matos MR, Ho SM, Schrode N, Brennand KJ. Integration of CRISPR-engineering and hiPSC-based models of psychiatric genomics. Molecular And Cellular Neuroscience 2020, 107: 103532. PMID: 32712198, PMCID: PMC7484226, DOI: 10.1016/j.mcn.2020.103532.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsPenetrant rare variantsDisease-associated variantsNeuronal cell typesPluripotent stem cellsGenomic engineeringFunctional characterizationComplex geneticsCRISPR engineeringCRISPR technologyIsogenic comparisonsPsychiatric genomicsCell typesGenetic variantsStem cellsIndividual variantsCommon variantsPolygenic disorderRare variantsVariantsComplex interplayGenomicsGenetic riskPleiotropyCRISPRGeneticsModeling the complex genetic architectures of brain disease
Fernando MB, Ahfeldt T, Brennand KJ. Modeling the complex genetic architectures of brain disease. Nature Genetics 2020, 52: 363-369. PMID: 32203467, PMCID: PMC7909729, DOI: 10.1038/s41588-020-0596-3.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsGenetic architectureComplex genetic architectureFunctional validation studiesRelevant disease biologyIntersection of genomicsComplex genetic diseasesCombination of genesPluripotent stem cellsGene perturbationsIsogenic comparisonsMolecular mechanismsPhenotypic drug discoveryCell typesGenetic diseasesFunctional consequencesGenetic backgroundRisk variantsStem cellsCRISPRDisease biologyDrug discoveryRare variantsConfer riskGenetic diagnosisVariants
2019
CRISPR-based functional evaluation of schizophrenia risk variants
Rajarajan P, Flaherty E, Akbarian S, Brennand KJ. CRISPR-based functional evaluation of schizophrenia risk variants. Schizophrenia Research 2019, 217: 26-36. PMID: 31277978, PMCID: PMC6939156, DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2019.06.017.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsSchizophrenia-associated variantsPluripotent stem cellsCRISPR genome engineeringSchizophrenia risk variantsCellular functionsGenome engineeringGenomic studiesSchizophrenia lociList of variantsGene expressionPatient-specific humanGenotype dataRisk variantsStem cellsFunctional impactCommon variantsCRISPRPost-mortem brain tissueRecent findingsVariantsNeuropsychiatric diseasesPoint of convergenceGenetic riskLociSpecific effects
2017
Application of CRISPR/Cas9 to the study of brain development and neuropsychiatric disease
Powell S, Gregory J, Akbarian S, Brennand K. Application of CRISPR/Cas9 to the study of brain development and neuropsychiatric disease. Molecular And Cellular Neuroscience 2017, 82: 157-166. PMID: 28549865, PMCID: PMC5516945, DOI: 10.1016/j.mcn.2017.05.007.Peer-Reviewed Reviews, Practice Guidelines, Standards, and Consensus StatementsConceptsCRISPR/Cas9 technologyPluripotent stem cellsTranscriptional regulatorsManipulation of DNAEpigenetic pathwaysGenomic editingSpecific lociCRISPR/Basic biologyCas9 technologyGene expressionStem cellsTargeted localizationEnzyme activityBrain developmentEpigenomeNeuropsychiatric diseasesGenomeCRISPRRepressionLociBiologyRegulatorEffectorsDNA