Psychosis Genetics Research in Africa: Building Capacity by Investing in People

Department of Epidemiology Seminar Series

Open to the public

Speakers:

Karestan Koenen, PhD
Professor of Psychiatric Epidemiology
Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

Dickens Akena, MB, ChB, MMed
Psychiatrist and Senior Lecturer
Department of Psychiatry
Makerere University College of Health Sciences

Lori Chibnik, PhD
Associate Professor of Neurology
Harvard Medical School

Lerato Majara, PhD
Postdoctoral Fellow
Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research
Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard

Brief Abstract:

The Neuropsychiatric Genetics of African Populations (NeuroGAP) initiative is a collaboration between colleagues in Ethiopia, Kenya, South Africa, Uganda, and the United States. This initiative focused on research and capacity building.

• The NeuroGAP-Psychosis research study aims to accelerate discovery of the genetic underpinnings of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder and to diversify sample collections, which have historically been from people of European descent. After five years, NeuroGAP-Psychosis completed recruitment in March 2023, ultimately recruiting 42,953 participants across Ethiopia, Kenya, South Africa, and Uganda.
• The Global Initiative for Neuropsychiatric Genetic Education in Research (GINGER) program strengthens research capacity for early-career investigators located at NeuroGAP-Psychosis study sites in Africa. The GINGER program leads research skills and professional development programming in effort to support equitable research collaborations and increase the number of neuropsychiatric geneticists working in low- and middle-income countries.