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Professor Peter Visscher
Professor

Peter Visscher

Email: 
Phone: 
+61 7 344 37045

Overview

Background

Visscher joined the University of Queensland in 2011, where he is Professor of Quantitative Genetics. He is a Laureate Fellow of the Australian Research Council. Visscher was elected a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science in 2010, a Fellow of the Royal Society (London) in 2018 and a Foreign Member of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2018.

Visscher’s research is about genetic variation for complex traits (including quantitative traits and disease) in populations, with the broad aim to understand and quantify the causes and consequences of human trait variation.

Prof Peter Visscher, Prof Naomi Wray and Prof Jian Yang together comprise the Executive Team of the Program in Complex Trait Genomics (PCTG). PCTG comprises a critical mass of more than 30 post-doctoral researchers plus research assistants and students, all supported by external grant funding. Their skills lie in the ability to develop and apply statistical methods within the framework of quantitative, population and statistical genetics and to use theory to understand and predict results from data analyses. They play leading roles in the international research consortia. The focus of current research activities is in the detection and fine-mapping of loci underlying complex traits (including common disease), based upon theoretical studies and applications of methods to large datasets, in population genetics studies using theoretical approaches and high-density genetic marker data, and in systems genomics studies.

Availability

Professor Peter Visscher is:
Not available for supervision

Fields of research

Qualifications

  • Masters (Coursework) of Science, University of Edinburgh
  • Doctor of Philosophy, University of Edinburgh

Research impacts

Visscher's research focuses on understanding individual differences betweeen people in traits that are important for health outcomes and ageing. A better understanding of the genes that underlie variation in risk to diseases may lead to better treatments.

Works

Search Professor Peter Visscher’s works on UQ eSpace

803 works between 1987 and 2025

201 - 220 of 803 works

2018

Journal Article

Genomic dissection of bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, including 28 subphenotypes

Ruderfer, Douglas M., Ripke, Stephan, McQuillin, Andrew, Boocock, James, Stahl, Eli A., Pavlides, Jennifer M. Whitehead, Mullins, Niamh, Charney, Alexander W., Ori, Anil P.S., Loohuis, Loes M. Olde, Domenici, Enrico, Di Florio, Arianna, Papiol, Sergi, Kalman, Janos L., Trubetskoy, Vassily, Adolfsson, Rolf, Agartz, Ingrid, Agerbo, Esben, Akil, Huda, Albani, Diego, Albus, Margot, Alda, Martin, Alexander, Madeline, Alliey-Rodriguez, Ney, Als, Thomas D., Amin, Farooq, Anjorin, Adebayo, Arranz, Maria J., Awasthi, Swapnil ... Kendler, Kenneth S. (2018). Genomic dissection of bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, including 28 subphenotypes. Cell, 173 (7), 1705-1715.e16. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2018.05.046

Genomic dissection of bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, including 28 subphenotypes

2018

Journal Article

Identifying gene targets for brain-related traits using transcriptomic and methylomic data from blood

Qi, Ting, Wu, Yang, Zeng, Jian, Zhang, Futao, Xue, Angli, Jiang, Longda, Zhu, Zhihong, Kemper, Kathryn, Yengo, Loic, Zheng, Zhili, eQTLGen Consortium, Marioni, Riccardo E., Montgomery, Grant W., Deary, Ian J., Wray, Naomi R., Visscher, Peter M., McRae, Allan F. and Yang, Jian (2018). Identifying gene targets for brain-related traits using transcriptomic and methylomic data from blood. Nature Communications, 9 (1) 2282, 2282. doi: 10.1038/s41467-018-04558-1

Identifying gene targets for brain-related traits using transcriptomic and methylomic data from blood

2018

Journal Article

Genome-wide survey of parent-of-origin effects on DNA methylation identifies candidate imprinted loci in humans

Cuellar Partida, Gabriel, Laurin, Charles, Ring, Susan M., Gaunt, Tom R., McRae, Allan, Visscher, Peter M., Montgomery, Grant W., Martin, Nicholas G., Hemani, Gibran, Suderman, Matthew, Relton, Caroline L., Davey Smith, George and Evans, David M. (2018). Genome-wide survey of parent-of-origin effects on DNA methylation identifies candidate imprinted loci in humans. Human Molecular Genetics, 27 (16), 2927-2939. doi: 10.1093/hmg/ddy206

Genome-wide survey of parent-of-origin effects on DNA methylation identifies candidate imprinted loci in humans

2018

Journal Article

GWAS on family history of Alzheimer's disease

Marioni, Riccardo E., Harris, Sarah E., Zhang, Qian, McRae, Allan F., Hagenaars, Saskia P., Hill, W. David, Davies, Gail, Ritchie, Craig W., Gale, Catharine R., Starr, John M., Goate, Alison M., Porteous, David J., Yang, Jian, Evans, Kathryn L., Deary, Ian J., Wray, Naomi R. and Visscher, Peter M. (2018). GWAS on family history of Alzheimer's disease. Translational Psychiatry, 8 (1) 99, 99. doi: 10.1038/s41398-018-0150-6

GWAS on family history of Alzheimer's disease

2018

Journal Article

Erratum: evidence of directional and stabilizing selection in contemporary humans (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (2017) 115 (151–156) DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1707227114)

Sanjak, Jaleal S., Sidorenko, Julia, Robinson, Matthew R., Thornton, Kevin R. and Visscher, Peter M. (2018). Erratum: evidence of directional and stabilizing selection in contemporary humans (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (2017) 115 (151–156) DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1707227114). Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 115 (20). doi: 10.1073/pnas.1806837115

Erratum: evidence of directional and stabilizing selection in contemporary humans (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (2017) 115 (151–156) DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1707227114)

2018

Journal Article

Global genetic differentiation of complex traits shaped by natural selection in humans

Guo, Jing, Wu, Yang, Zhu, Zhihong, Zheng, Zhili, Trzaskowski, Maciej, Zeng, Jian, Robinson, Matthew R., Visscher, Peter M. and Yang, Jian (2018). Global genetic differentiation of complex traits shaped by natural selection in humans. Nature Communications, 9 (1) 1865, 1865. doi: 10.1038/s41467-018-04191-y

Global genetic differentiation of complex traits shaped by natural selection in humans

2018

Journal Article

Genome-wide association analyses identify 44 risk variants and refine the genetic architecture of major depression

Wray, Naomi R., Ripke, Stephan, Mattheisen, Manuel, Trzaskowski, Maciej, Byrne, Enda M., Abdellaoui, Abdel, Adams, Mark J., Agerbo, Esben, Air, Tracy M., Andlauer, Till M. F., Bacanu, Silviu-Alin, Baekvad-Hansen, Marie, Beekman, Aartjan F. T., Bigdeli, Tim B., Binder, Elisabeth B., Blackwood, Douglas R. H., Bryois, Julien, Buttenschon, Henriette N., Bybjerg-Grauholm, Jonas, Cai, Na, Castelao, Enrique, Christensen, Jane Hvarregaard, Clarke, Toni-Kim, Coleman, Jonathan I. R., Colodro-Conde, Lucia, Couvy-Duchesne, Baptiste, Craddock, Nick, Crawford, Gregory E., Crowley, Cheynna A. ... Sullivan, Patrick F. (2018). Genome-wide association analyses identify 44 risk variants and refine the genetic architecture of major depression. Nature Genetics, 50 (5), 668-+. doi: 10.1038/s41588-018-0090-3

Genome-wide association analyses identify 44 risk variants and refine the genetic architecture of major depression

2018

Journal Article

Comparison of methods that use whole genome data to estimate the heritability and genetic architecture of complex traits

Evans, Luke M., Tahmasbi, Rasool, Vrieze, Scott I., Abecasis, Gonçalo R., Das, Sayantan, Gazal, Steven, Bjelland, Douglas W., de Candia, Teresa R., Haplotype Reference Consortium, Goddard, Michael E., Neale, Benjamin M., Yang, Jian, Visscher, Peter M. and Keller, Matthew C. (2018). Comparison of methods that use whole genome data to estimate the heritability and genetic architecture of complex traits. Nature genetics, 50 (5), 737-745. doi: 10.1038/s41588-018-0108-x

Comparison of methods that use whole genome data to estimate the heritability and genetic architecture of complex traits

2018

Journal Article

Signatures of negative selection in the genetic architecture of human complex traits

Zeng, Jian, de Vlaming, Ronald, Wu, Yang, Robinson, Matthew R., Lloyd-Jones, Luke R., Yengo, Loic, Yap, Chloe X., Xue, Angli, Sidorenko, Julia, McRae, Allan F., Powell, Joseph E., Montgomery, Grant W., Metspalu, Andres, Esko, Tonu, Gibson, Greg, Wray, Naomi R., Visscher, Peter M. and Yang, Jian (2018). Signatures of negative selection in the genetic architecture of human complex traits. Nature Genetics, 50 (5), 746-753. doi: 10.1038/s41588-018-0101-4

Signatures of negative selection in the genetic architecture of human complex traits

2018

Journal Article

Cohort Profile: Genetics of Diabetes Audit and Research in Tayside Scotland (GoDARTS)

Hebert, Harry L., Shepherd, Bridget, Milburn, Keith, Veluchamy, Abirami, Meng, Weihua, Carr, Fiona, Donnelly, Louise A., Tavendale, Roger, Leese, Graham, Colhoun, Helen M., Dow, Ellie, Morris, Andrew D., Doney, Alexander S., Lang, Chim C., Pearson, Ewan R., Smith, Blair H. and Palmer, Colin N. A. (2018). Cohort Profile: Genetics of Diabetes Audit and Research in Tayside Scotland (GoDARTS). International Journal of Epidemiology, 47 (2), 380-+. doi: 10.1093/ije/dyx140

Cohort Profile: Genetics of Diabetes Audit and Research in Tayside Scotland (GoDARTS)

2018

Journal Article

Narrow-sense heritability estimation of complex traits using identity-by-descent information

Evans, Luke M., Tahmasbi, Rasool, Jones, Matt, Vrieze, Scott I., Abecasis, Gonçalo R., Das, Sayantan, Bjelland, Douglas W., de Candia, Teresa R., Yang, Jian, Goddard, Michael E., Visscher, Peter M., Keller, Matthew C. and Haplotype Reference Consortium (2018). Narrow-sense heritability estimation of complex traits using identity-by-descent information. Heredity, 121 (6), 1-15. doi: 10.1038/s41437-018-0067-0

Narrow-sense heritability estimation of complex traits using identity-by-descent information

2018

Journal Article

A multi-trait Bayesian method for mapping QTL and genomic prediction

Kemper, Kathryn E., Bowman, Philip J., Hayes, Benjamin J., Visscher, Peter M. and Goddard, Michael E. (2018). A multi-trait Bayesian method for mapping QTL and genomic prediction. Genetics Selection Evolution, 50 (1) 10, 10. doi: 10.1186/s12711-018-0377-y

A multi-trait Bayesian method for mapping QTL and genomic prediction

2018

Journal Article

Improving genetic prediction by leveraging genetic correlations among human diseases and traits

Maier, Robert M, Zhu, Zhihong, Lee, Sang Hong, Trzaskowski, Maciej, Ruderfer, Douglas M, Stahl, Eli A, Ripke, Stephan, Wray, Naomi R, Yang, Jian, Visscher, Peter M and Robinson, Matthew R (2018). Improving genetic prediction by leveraging genetic correlations among human diseases and traits. Nature Communications, 9 (1) 989, 989. doi: 10.1038/s41467-017-02769-6

Improving genetic prediction by leveraging genetic correlations among human diseases and traits

2018

Journal Article

Integrative analysis of omics summary data reveals putative mechanisms underlying complex traits

Wu, Yang, Zeng, Jian, Zhang, Futao, Zhu, Zhihong, Qi, Ting, Zheng, Zhili, Lloyd-Jones, Luke R., Marioni, Riccardo E., Martin, Nicholas G., Montgomery, Grant W., Deary, Ian J., Wray, Naomi R., Visscher, Peter M., McRae, Allan F. and Yang, Jian (2018). Integrative analysis of omics summary data reveals putative mechanisms underlying complex traits. Nature Communications, 9 (918) 918, 918. doi: 10.1038/s41467-018-03371-0

Integrative analysis of omics summary data reveals putative mechanisms underlying complex traits

2018

Journal Article

Reply to Kardos et al.: estimation of inbreeding depression from SNP data

Yengo, Loic, Zhu, Zhihong, Wray, Naomi R., Weir, Bruce S., Yang, Jian, Robinson, Matthew R. and Visscher, Peter M. (2018). Reply to Kardos et al.: estimation of inbreeding depression from SNP data. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 115 (11), E2494-E2495. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1718598115

Reply to Kardos et al.: estimation of inbreeding depression from SNP data

2018

Journal Article

Transformation of summary statistics from linear mixed model association on all-or-none traits to odds ratio

Lloyd-Jones, Luke R., Robinson, Matthew R., Yang, Jian and Visscher, Peter M. (2018). Transformation of summary statistics from linear mixed model association on all-or-none traits to odds ratio. Genetics, 208 (4), 1397-1408. doi: 10.1534/genetics.117.300360

Transformation of summary statistics from linear mixed model association on all-or-none traits to odds ratio

2018

Journal Article

Seasonal Variability of Mineral Formation in Microbial Mats Subjected to Drying and Wetting Cycles in Alkaline and Hypersaline Sedimentary Environments

Cabestrero, O., Sanz-Montero, M. E., Arregui, L., Serrano, S. and Visscher, P. T. (2018). Seasonal Variability of Mineral Formation in Microbial Mats Subjected to Drying and Wetting Cycles in Alkaline and Hypersaline Sedimentary Environments. Aquatic Geochemistry, 24 (1), 79-105. doi: 10.1007/s10498-018-9333-2

Seasonal Variability of Mineral Formation in Microbial Mats Subjected to Drying and Wetting Cycles in Alkaline and Hypersaline Sedimentary Environments

2018

Journal Article

GWAS of epigenetic aging rates in blood reveals a critical role for TERT

Lu, Ake T., Xue, Luting, Salfati, Elias L., Chen, Brian H., Ferrucci, Luigi, Levy, Daniel, Joehanes, Roby, Murabito, Joanne M., Kiel, Douglas P., Tsai, Pei-Chien, Yet, Idil, Bell, Jordana T., Mangino, Massimo, Tanaka, Toshiko, McRae, Allan F., Marioni, Riccardo E., Visscher, Peter M., Wray, Naomi R., Deary, Ian J., Levine, Morgan E., Quach, Austin, Assimes, Themistocles, Tsao, Philip S., Absher, Devin, Stewart, James D., Li, Yun, Reiner, Alex P., Hou, Lifang, Baccarelli, Andrea A. ... Horvath, Steve (2018). GWAS of epigenetic aging rates in blood reveals a critical role for TERT. Nature Communications, 9 (1) 387, 387. doi: 10.1038/s41467-017-02697-5

GWAS of epigenetic aging rates in blood reveals a critical role for TERT

2018

Journal Article

Causal associations between risk factors and common diseases inferred from GWAS summary data

Zhu, Zhihong, Zheng, Zhili, Zhang, Futao, Wu, Yang, Trzaskowski, Maciej, Maier, Robert, Robinson, Matthew R., McGrath, John J, Visscher, Peter M, Wray, Naomi R and Yang, Jian (2018). Causal associations between risk factors and common diseases inferred from GWAS summary data. Nature Communications, 9 (1) 224, 224. doi: 10.1038/s41467-017-02317-2

Causal associations between risk factors and common diseases inferred from GWAS summary data

2018

Journal Article

Evidence of directional and stabilizing selection in contemporary humans

Sanjak, Jaleal S., Sidorenko, Julia, Robinson, Matthew R., Thornton, Kevin R. and Visscher, Peter M. (2018). Evidence of directional and stabilizing selection in contemporary humans. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 115 (1), 151-156. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1707227114

Evidence of directional and stabilizing selection in contemporary humans

Funding

Current funding

  • 2019 - 2025
    Causes and consequence of human trait variation
    ARC Australian Laureate Fellowships
    Open grant

Past funding

  • 2022 - 2025
    Genetic architecture and evolution of complex traits across populations
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2018 - 2024
    Estimating the genetic and environmental architecture of psychiatric disorders (NIH Grant administered by the University of Colorado)
    University of Colorado
    Open grant
  • 2017 - 2023
    Complex trait genomics
    NHMRC Program Grant
    Open grant
  • 2016 - 2019
    Genetic analysis of the relationship between parental age and risk of psychiatric disorders
    NHMRC Project Grant
    Open grant
  • 2016 - 2019
    Phenotypic profiling from DNA using genetic and epigenetic information
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2016 - 2018
    The genetics of ageing in human populations
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2015 - 2019
    Sporadic ALS Australian Systems Genomics Consortium (SALSA-SGC)
    Motor Neurone Disease Research Institute of Australia Inc
    Open grant
  • 2015 - 2020
    Analysis of Genome-Wide Data in the Health and Retirement Study (NIH grant administered by the University of Southern California)
    University of Southern California
    Open grant
  • 2015 - 2019
    1/2 A Large-Scale Schizophrenia Association Study in Sweden (NIH grant administered by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)
    University of North Carolina
    Open grant
  • 2015 - 2017
    Increasing the power of GxE detection by using multi-locus genome-wide predictors (NIH grant administered by Harvard Medical School)
    Harvard Medical School
    Open grant
  • 2015 - 2019
    NHMRC Research Fellowship: Neurogenetics and Statistical Genomics
    NHMRC Research Fellowship
    Open grant
  • 2014
    Deciphering the genetic code of diseases
    National Computational Merit Allocation Scheme
    Open grant
  • 2014
    Trans-ethnic and trans-omic statistical analyses to identify new ALS risk variants
    Motor Neurone Disease Research Institute of Australia Inc
    Open grant
  • 2013 - 2018
    Estimating the Frequencies and Population Specificities of Risk Alleles (NIH grant administered by the University of Colorado)
    University of Colorado
    Open grant
  • 2013 - 2016
    CAGE: Consortium for the Architecture of Gene Expression
    NHMRC Project Grant
    Open grant
  • 2013 - 2015
    Estimation and partitioning of the still-missing heritability for complex disease
    NHMRC Project Grant
    Open grant
  • 2013 - 2016
    Estimation of non-additive genetic variance for complex traits using genome-wide SNP and sequence data
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2013 - 2016
    Exploiting SNP data in epidemiology and genetics through multivariate analysis of complex traits
    NHMRC Project Grant
    Open grant
  • 2013 - 2015
    The genetic architecture and evolution of quantitative traits (ARC Discovery Project administered by the University of Melbourne)
    University of Melbourne
    Open grant
  • 2012 - 2018
    Statistical and Quantitative Genetics (NIH Grant administered by the University of Washington)
    University of Washington (Seattle)
    Open grant
  • 2012 - 2017
    Statistical genetic analyses of social and economic outcomes
    Stockholm School of Economics
    Open grant
  • 2012 - 2017
    Belgian Medical Genomics Initiative (BeMGI)
    University of Liege
    Open grant
  • 2012
    Explaining the Dark Matter of Genome-wide Association Studies for Complex Disease
    NHMRC Project Grant
    Open grant
  • 2011 - 2014
    Better Methods for Individual Risk Prediction of Complex Traits in Human Populations
    NHMRC Project Grant
    Open grant
  • 2011 - 2014
    NHMRC Research Fellowship (SPRF)
    NHMRC Research Fellowship
    Open grant
  • 2011 - 2017
    Theoretical Population Genetics (NIH Subcontract administered by the University of Washington)
    University of Washington (Seattle)
    Open grant
  • 2010 - 2013
    Identifying eQTLs and endophenotyping known CNVs in a large Australian schizophrenia sample
    NHMRC Project Grant
    Open grant
  • 2010 - 2012
    Why is most of the genetic variance for complex traits undetected by large powerful screens of common variants? (ARC Discovery Project administered by The University of Melbourne)
    University of Melbourne
    Open grant
  • 2007 - 2009
    Maximising knowledge from dense SNP data using multi-locus analysis
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant

Supervision

Availability

Professor Peter Visscher is:
Not available for supervision

Supervision history

Current supervision

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Statistical methods and application to analyses genome and trait data from large biobanks

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Kathryn Kemper, Professor Loic Yengo

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Integrating GWAS and molecular QTL data to dissect genetic architecture and improve polygenic prediction

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Jian Zeng

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Genetic architecture and evolution of complex traits across populations in humans

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Naomi Wray, Dr Fleur Garton, Dr Jian Zeng

Completed supervision

Media

Enquiries

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