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Introduction
The Molecular Psychiatry Laboratory has been identifying genes increasing susceptibility for bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcohol misuse disorders and dementia using family linkage and genetic association studies. The fundamental aim of the research is to characterise the DNA variants that increase disease susceptibility by causing abnormalities in the structure or function of the proteins that these genes encode. With this information it will be possible to create new treatments or prevention strategies.
Our Research Interests
Our research interests include genetics of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and alcoholism, pharmacogenomics and design of new antipsychotic drugs.
- Rizig et al (2012) Clozapine Haloperidol Gene Expression Study
Supplemental data for:
A gene expression and systems pathway analysis of the effects of clozapine compared to haloperidol in the mouse brain implicates susceptibility genes for schizophrenia. Mie A Rizig, Andrew McQuillin, Aylwin Ng, Michelle Robinson, Andrew Harrison, Marketa Zvelebil, Steve P Hunt, Hugh MD Gurling
The full lists of genes with changed expression from the three experiments with the corresponding t-test p values and fold changes as well as GO ontology hits and affected pathways can be downloaded using the links below:
- Lists of differentially expressed genes by haloperidol and clozapine in the 4 week experiment
- Lists of differentially expressed genes by haloperidol and clozapine in the 12 week Affymetrix experiment
- Lists of differentially expressed genes by haloperidol and clozapine in the NIA 15K cDNA arrays
- GO ontology hits and p values of differentially expressed genes by antipsychotics in the mouse brain
- Mouse pathways hits and p values of differentially expressed genes by antipsychotics in the mouse brain
Work carried out in the laboratory
Research in the Molecular Psychiatry Laboratory has used genetics as a method to understand the abnormal neurobiology causing schizophrenia, affective disorders and alcoholism. The Molecular Psychiatry Laboratory has completed genome wide linkage scans on family samples of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and Tourette syndrome in order to localise susceptibility genes to specific regions of chromosomes.
Genome Wide Association scans with SNP arrays have been completed on schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, alcohol dependence including sub samples Wernicke Korsakov's syndrome and alcoholic cirrhosis of the liver.
Families of glutamate receptor genes as well as calcium channel genes have now been implicated in schizophrenia as well as bipolar disorder. A second major effort in the Molecular Psychiatry Laboratory concerns the use of systems biology and pharmacogenomics to point the way to new drug and preventive strategies for the psychoses.
Get involved
What is in a gene?
Can you help us to find out? We are calling on all people with bipolar disorder, schizophrenia or alchohol dependence to help us to develop a better understanding of the genetics behind these disorders!
Our research and others like it have already begun to pave the way for new treatments and preventative strategies. These may be more personalised and also associated with fewer or absent side effects. We strongly believe that learning more about the genetics will begin to make a practical difference for creating new treatments for people.
We are working with people all over the United Kingdom to spread the word about our research and to make it easier to get involved (have a look at our "DPIM network" tab on the left)
How to help: All you would have to do is a short interview about your experiences and have a blood sample taken - don't worry, our research team are fully trained, you will be in safe hands! Then our team of laboratory researchers will take over. In some cases, we may ask you for a saliva sample.
Where? You can be interviewed by one of our local researchers or over the phone by Alex and her colleagues.
A BIG Thank You: to those who have already helped because the more people involved, the more powerful our results. With this in mind we are already collaborating with a number of other research centres in the UK and Worldwide!
At this stage, regrettably, we are concentrating on those of English, Irish, Scottish or Welsh ancestry. This is due to the methods used to search for genetic mutations if you would like to know more look at "Our Research" tab on the left.
We are very grateful for your continuing support. Please click here for information on how we handle research data.