UCL researchers receive prestigious grant for schizophrenia research

Dr Elvira Bramon and Dr Johan Hilge Thygesen, both of the UCL Division of Psychiatry, have won the Margaret Temple grant for schizophrenia research.

This was awarded by the British Medical Association (BMA) at a ceremony on Tuesday 22 November. Involving 14,000 participants, their research will investigate rare genetic variants that increase schizophrenia risk and their influence on brain function and structure.

About 4% of the population are affected by psychotic disorders including schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, as a result of both environmental and genetic risk factors. Dr Bramon and Dr Thygesen's research will identify carriers of high-risk genetic variants in a sample of families; investigate the effects of these genetic variants on brain structure and function; and explore why some carriers develop schizophrenia, others develop different brain disorders, while many carriers remain well.

Related

• BMA foundation for medical research - 2016 grant winners
• Dr Elvira Bramon's IRIS page
• Dr Johan Hilge Thygesen's IRIS page
• Division of Psychiatry