DANIELLE M. DICK, PH.D.
Research Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry
Adjunct Professor, Department of Psychology
Research Interests
1) Behavioral and psychiatric genetics
Specific Research Activities
My research focuses on elucidating risk and protective factors for the development of patterns of alcohol use and abuse, using a longitudinal, developmental framework, studying individuals from early adolescence through young adulthood using a genetically informative design. I work with data from two population-based Finnish twin studies, FinnTwin12 and FinnTwin16. My research concentrates on understanding the complex, dynamic influence of genes on behavior, addressing questions such as how the influence of genetic factors changes across development and in conjunction with environmental factors. Additionally, I work on several projects aimed at identifying specific genes involved in psychiatric disorders.
Special Populations, Data Sets and Facilities
FinnTwin12 is a population-based twin study of five birth cohorts of twins born in Finland 1983-1987, assessed at ages 12, 14, and 17, with self-report questionnaires and psychiatric interviews, and with parent, peer, and teacher assessment. FinnTwin16 has assessments at ages 16, 17, 18, and 22-25, on twins, parents, and siblings. The focus of these twin studies is on the development of substance use and related health behaviors. Additionally, I work on the Collaborative Study of the Genetics of Alcoholism (COGA), a multi-site collaboration aimed at identifying specific genes involved in alcohol dependence and related disorders, with DNA on ~2300 individuals from 262 families affected with alcoholism.
Key References
Dick, DM, Johnson JK, Viken RJ, Rose RJ: Testing between-family associations in within-family comparisons. Psychological Science 2000; 11:409-413.
Dick DM, Viken RJ, Kaprio J, Rose RJ: Exploring gene-environment interactions: Socio-regional moderation of alcohol use. Journal of Abnormal Psychology 2001; 110:625-632.
Dick DM, Rose RJ: Behavior Genetics: What's new? What's next? Current Directions in Psychological Science 11: 70-74.
Dick DM, Foroud T, Flury L, Bowman E, Miller M, Rau NL Moe PR, Samavedy N, El-mallakh R, Manji H, Glitz D, Meyer E, Smiley C, Berrettini W, Byerley W, Coryell W, DePaulo R, Gershon ES, Kelsoe J, McMahon F, McInnis M, Murphy D, Reich T, Scheftner W, Nurnberger Jr J: Genome-wide linkage analyses of bipolar disorder: A new sample of 250 NIMH genetics initiative pedigrees. American Journal of Human Genetics 2003; 73:07-114.
Dick DM, Foroud T: Candidate genes for alcohol dependence: A review of genetic evidence from human studies. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research 2003; 7:868-879.
Dick DM, Edenberg HJ, Xuei X, Goate A, Kuperman S, Schuckit M, Crowe R, Smith TL, Porjesz B, Begleiter H, Foroud T: Association of GABRG3 with alcohol dependence. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research 2004; 28(1):4-9.
Dick DM, Li TK, Edenberg HJ, Hesselbrock V, Kramer J, Foroud T: A genome-wide screen for genes influencing conduct disorder. Molecular Psychiatry 2004; 9(1):81-6.