Overview
Background
The objective of my research is to improve understanding of the genetic etiology and biological mechanisms underlying risk of common psychiatric disorders, particularly those with onset during childhood and adolescence. As a Senior Research Fellow at the Child Health Research Centre, I lead a number of domestic and international collaborations that evaluate the association between polygenic risk scores, environmental variables and behaviour during childhood and adolescence. My group applies innovative statistical methods to large longitudinal datasets with information from infancy through to adulthood and to evaluate genetic and environmental contributions to risk to mental health problems. In addition, our research focuses on the potential clinical utility of polygenic risk scores in psychiatry. I have contributed to major advances in understanding of the etiology of a number of psychiatric disorders, with a major focus on depression
PhD and Honours projects are available in the group. Please contact me for more information.
Availability
- Dr Enda Byrne is:
- Available for supervision
Qualifications
- Doctor of Philosophy, The University of Queensland
Research interests
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Genomic Technologies
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Statistical and Computational methods
Research impacts
My research has contributed to advances in a number of fields through the identification of previously unknown genetic variants that contribute to risk to complex disorders. The identification of these variants opens up new avenues for developing drug targets to target the biological pathways in which they are found.
Works
Search Professor Enda Byrne’s works on UQ eSpace
2019
Journal Article
Identification of common genetic risk variants for autism spectrum disorder
Grove, Jakob, Ripke, Stephan, Als, Thomas D., Mattheisen, Manuel, Walters, Raymond K., Won, Hyejung, Pallesen, Jonatan, Agerbo, Esben, Andreassen, Ole A., Anney, Richard, Awashti, Swapnil, Belliveau, Rich, Bettella, Francesco, Buxbaum, Joseph D., Bybjerg-Grauholm, Jonas, Bækvad-Hansen, Marie, Cerrato, Felecia, Chambert, Kimberly, Christensen, Jane H., Churchhouse, Claire, Dellenvall, Karin, Demontis, Ditte, De Rubeis, Silvia, Devlin, Bernie, Djurovic, Srdjan, Dumont, Ashley L., Goldstein, Jacqueline I., Hansen, Christine S., Hauberg, Mads Engel ... Børglum, Anders D. (2019). Identification of common genetic risk variants for autism spectrum disorder. Nature Genetics, 51 (3), 431-444. doi: 10.1038/s41588-019-0344-8
2019
Journal Article
Genome-wide by environment interaction studies of depressive symptoms and psychosocial stress in UK Biobank and Generation Scotland
Arnau-Soler, Aleix, Macdonald-Dunlop, Erin, Adams, Mark J., Clarke, Toni-Kim, MacIntyre, Donald J., Milburn, Keith, Navrady, Lauren, Hayward, Caroline, McIntosh, Andrew M., Thomson, Pippa A., Wray, Naomi R., Ripke, Stephan, Mattheisen, Manuel, Trzaskowski, Maciej, Byrne, Enda M., Abdellaoui, Abdel, Agerbo, Esben, Air, Tracy M., Andlauer, Till F. M., Bacanu, Silviu-Alin, Baekvad-Hansen, Marie, Beekman, Aartjan T. F., Bigdeli, Tim B., Binder, Elisabeth B., Blackwood, Douglas H. R., Bryois, Julien, Buttenscon, Henriette N., Bybjerg-Grauholm, Jonas, Cai, Na ... Major Depressive Disorder Working Group of the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium (2019). Genome-wide by environment interaction studies of depressive symptoms and psychosocial stress in UK Biobank and Generation Scotland. Translational Psychiatry, 9 (1) 14. doi: 10.1038/s41398-018-0360-y
2019
Journal Article
Genome-wide meta-analysis of depression identifies 102 independent variants and highlights the importance of the prefrontal brain regions
Howard, David M., Adams, Mark J., Clarke, Toni-Kim, Hafferty, Jonathan D., Gibson, Jude, Shirali, Masoud, Coleman, Jonathan R. I., Hagenaars, Saskia P., Ward, Joey, Wigmore, Eleanor M., Alloza, Clara, Shen, Xueyi, Barbu, Miruna C., Xu, Eileen Y., Whalley, Heather C., Marioni, Riccardo E., Porteous, David J., Davies, Gail, Deary, Ian J., Hemani, Gibran, Berger, Klaus, Teismann, Henning, Rawal, Rajesh, Arolt, Volker, Baune, Bernhard T., Dannlowski, Udo, Domschke, Katharina, Tian, Chao, Hinds, David A. ... McIntosh, Andrew M. (2019). Genome-wide meta-analysis of depression identifies 102 independent variants and highlights the importance of the prefrontal brain regions. Nature Neuroscience, 22 (3), 343-352. doi: 10.1038/s41593-018-0326-7
2019
Journal Article
Genome-wide association analyses of chronotype in 697,828 individuals provides insights into circadian rhythms
Jones, Samuel E., Lane, Jacqueline M., Wood, Andrew R., van Hees, Vincent T., Tyrrell, Jessica, Beaumont, Robin N., Jeffries, Aaron R., Dashti, Hassan S., Hillsdon, Melvyn, Ruth, Katherine S., Tuke, Marcus A., Yaghootkar, Hanieh, Sharp, Seth A., Jie, Yingjie, Thompson, William D., Harrison, Jamie W., Dawes, Amy, Byrne, Enda M., Tiemeier, Henning, Allebrandt, Karla V., Bowden, Jack, Ray, David W., Freathy, Rachel M., Murray, Anna, Mazzotti, Diego R., Gehrman, Philip R., Lawlor, Debbie A., Frayling, Timothy M., Rutter, Martin K. ... Weedon, Michael N. (2019). Genome-wide association analyses of chronotype in 697,828 individuals provides insights into circadian rhythms. Nature Communications, 10 (1) 343, 343. doi: 10.1038/s41467-018-08259-7
2019
Conference Publication
Conditional genome-wide association analysis identifies genetic variants
Byrne, E. (2019). Conditional genome-wide association analysis identifies genetic variants. 21st Annual ISBD Conference: Global Advances in Bipolar Disorder and Depression, Sydney, Australia, 20-23 March 2019. Hoboken, NJ United States: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing.
2019
Conference Publication
Identification of genetic risk factors for postpartum depression
Guintivano, Jerry, Byrne, Enda, Watson, Hunna, Wray, Naomi, Meltzer-Brody, Samantha and Sullivan, Patrick (2019). Identification of genetic risk factors for postpartum depression. 27th World Congress of Psychiatric Genetics, Los Angeles, United States, 26-31 October 2019. Amsterdam, Netherlands: Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2019.07.194
2019
Conference Publication
Integrative analysis of genome-wide association study results of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and human fetal brain methylation data reveals novel genes associated with ADHD
Hammerschlag, Anke, Byrne, Enda, Bartels, Meike, Wray, Naomi and Middeldorp, Christel M. (2019). Integrative analysis of genome-wide association study results of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and human fetal brain methylation data reveals novel genes associated with ADHD. 26th World Congress of Psychiatric Genetics (WCPG), Glasgow, Scotland, 11-15 October 2018. Amsterdam, Netherlands: Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2018.08.063
2019
Conference Publication
Genetic risk for depression and treatment response in the Australian genetics of depression study
Byrne, Enda, Medland, Sarah E., Hickie, Ian, Martin, Nicholas G. and Wray, Naomi (2019). Genetic risk for depression and treatment response in the Australian genetics of depression study. 27th World Congress of Psychiatric Genetics (WCPG), Los Angeles, CA, United States, 26-31 October 2019. Amsterdam, The Netherlands: Elsevier . doi: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2019.07.109
2019
Journal Article
Evidence for increased genetic risk load for major depression in patients assigned to electroconvulsive therapy
Foo, Jerome C., Streit, Fabian, Frank, Josef, Witt, Stephanie H., Treutlein, Jens, Baune, Bernhard T., Moebus, Susanne, Joeckel, Karl-Heinz, Forstner, Andreas J., Noethen, Markus M., Rietschel, Marcella, Sartorius, Alexander, Kranaster, Laura, Wray, Naomi R., Ripke, Stephan, Mattheisen, Manuel, Trzaskowski, Maciej, Byrne, Enda M., Abdellaoui, Abdel, Adams, Mark J., Agerbo, Esben, Air, Tracy M., Andlauer, Till F. M., Bacanu, Silviu-Alin, Baekvad-Hansen, Marie, Beekman, Aartjan T. F., Bigdeli, Tim B., Binder, Elisabeth B., Blackwood, Douglas H. R. ... Sullivan, Patrick F. (2019). Evidence for increased genetic risk load for major depression in patients assigned to electroconvulsive therapy. American Journal of Medical Genetics Part B: Neuropsychiatric Genetics, 180 (1), 35-45. doi: 10.1002/ajmg.b.32700
2019
Journal Article
Sleep disorders and risk of incident depression: a population case-control study
Byrne, Enda M., Timmerman, Allan, Wray, Naomi R. and Agerbo, Esben (2019). Sleep disorders and risk of incident depression: a population case-control study. Twin Research and Human Genetics, 22 (03) PII S1832427419000227, 140-146. doi: 10.1017/thg.2019.22
2019
Conference Publication
Examining the shared genetics between educational attainment and depression: results from the Australian Genetics of Depression Study
Mitchell, Brittany, Renteria, Miguel E., Byrne, Enda, Conde, Lucia Colodro, Han, Xikun, Medland, Sarah E., Wray, Naomi and Martin, Nick (2019). Examining the shared genetics between educational attainment and depression: results from the Australian Genetics of Depression Study. 27th World Congress of Psychiatric Genetics, Los Angeles, United States, 26-31 October 2019. Amsterdam, Netherlands: Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2019.07.172
2019
Conference Publication
Genetic risk scores and postpartum psychiatric disorders
Bauer, Anna, Liu, Xiaoqin, Byrne, Enda, Sullivan, Patrick, Wray, Naomi, Agerbo, Esben, Nyegaard, Mette, Ingstrup, Katja, Johannsen, Benedicte, Maegbaek, Merete, Wang, Yunpeng, Nordentoft, Merete, Mortensen, Preben Bo, Munk-Olsen, Trine and Meltzer-Brody, Samantha (2019). Genetic risk scores and postpartum psychiatric disorders. 26th World Congress of Psychiatric Genetics (WCPG), Glasgow, Scotland, 11-15 October 2018. Amsterdam, The Netherlands: Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2018.08.048
2019
Conference Publication
Validating GWA associations in psychiatric disorders with functional genomic data
Trzaskowski, Maciej, Byrne, Enda, Yang, Jian and Wray, Naomi (2019). Validating GWA associations in psychiatric disorders with functional genomic data. 25th World Congress of Psychiatric Genetics (WCPG), Orlando, FL, United States, 13-17 October 2017. Amsterdam, The Netherlands: Elsevier . doi: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2017.08.019
2019
Conference Publication
Exploring the heterogeneity of depression: stressful life events and depressive symptoms
Conde, Lucia Colodro, Couvy-Duchesne, Baptiste, Byrne, Enda, Campos, Adrian, Martin, Nick and Medland, Sarah (2019). Exploring the heterogeneity of depression: stressful life events and depressive symptoms. 27th World Congress of Psychiatric Genetics (WCPG), Los Angeles, CA, United States, 26-31 October 2019. Amsterdam, The Netherlands: Elsevier . doi: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2019.08.109
2019
Conference Publication
Assessing clinical, demographic and genetic risk factors for treatment attributed suicidality in > 20,000 Australian adults on antidepressants
Campos, Adrian, Renteria, Miguel E., Byrne, Enda, Medland, Sarah E., Wray, Naomi, Hickie, Ian B. and Martin, Nick (2019). Assessing clinical, demographic and genetic risk factors for treatment attributed suicidality in > 20,000 Australian adults on antidepressants. 27th World Congress of Psychiatric Genetics (WCPG), Los Angeles, United States, 26-31 October 2019. Amsterdam, Netherlands: Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2019.07.212
2019
Conference Publication
Sleep disorders and risk of incident depression: a population case-control study
Byrne, Enda, Wray, Naomi and Agerbo, Esben (2019). Sleep disorders and risk of incident depression: a population case-control study. 25th World Congress of Psychiatric Genetics (WCPG), Orlando, FL, United States, 13-17 October 2017. Amsterdam, The Netherlands: Elsevier . doi: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2017.08.343
2019
Conference Publication
INVESTIGATING CAUSAL RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN MAJOR DEPRESSIVE DISORDER AND GENETICALLY CORRELATED TRAITS USING MENDELIAN RANDOMISATION
Byrne, Enda, Trzaskowski, Maciej and Wray, Naomi (2019). INVESTIGATING CAUSAL RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN MAJOR DEPRESSIVE DISORDER AND GENETICALLY CORRELATED TRAITS USING MENDELIAN RANDOMISATION. 25th World Congress of Psychiatric Genetics (WCPG), Orlando Fl, Oct 13-17, 2017. AMSTERDAM: ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV. doi: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2017.08.020
2019
Conference Publication
Comprehensive evaluation of enrichment for circadian clock gene sets in psychiatric traits: specific enrichment in clinical response to lithium
Papiol, Sergi, Heilbronner, Urs, Hou, Liping, McCarthy, Michael, Nievergelt, Caroline, Byrne, Enda, McMahon, Francis and Schulze, Thomas (2019). Comprehensive evaluation of enrichment for circadian clock gene sets in psychiatric traits: specific enrichment in clinical response to lithium. 25th World Congress of Psychiatric Genetics (WCPG), Orlando, FL, United States, 13-17 October 2017. Amsterdam, The Netherlands: Elsevier . doi: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2017.08.270
2019
Conference Publication
A direct test of the diathesis-stress model for depression
Conde, Lucia Colodro, Couvy-Duchesne, Baptiste, Zhu, Gu, Coventry, William, Byrne, Enda, Gordon, Scott, Wright, Margaret, Montgomery, Grant, Madden, Pamela, Ripke, Stephan, Eaves, Lindon, Heath, Andrew, Wray, Naomi, Medland, Sarah E. and Martin, Nick (2019). A direct test of the diathesis-stress model for depression. 25th World Congress of Psychiatric Genetics (WCPG), Orlando, FL United States, 13-17 October 2017. Amsterdam, Netherlands: Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2017.08.045
2019
Conference Publication
Genomic structural equation models of major depression symptoms
Adams, Mark, Grotzinger, Andrew, Jermy, Bradley, Thorp, Jackson, Nivard, Michel, Byrne, Enda, Hickie, Ian, Martin, Nick, Medland, Sarah, Wray, Naomi, Tucker-Drob, Elliot, Lewis, Cathryn, Derks, Eske and McIntosh, Andrew (2019). Genomic structural equation models of major depression symptoms. 27th World Congress of Psychiatric Genetics (WCPG), Los Angeles, CA, United States, 26-31 October 2019. Amsterdam, The Netherlands: Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2019.08.042
Funding
Current funding
Past funding
Supervision
Availability
- Dr Enda Byrne is:
- Available for supervision
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Available projects
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Gene Environment interactions in Mental health trajectories of Youth (Youth-GEMs)
Mental health problems are common in young people, with life-long enduring impacts on individuals, families and societies. More than 63% of mental disorders throughout the life span emerge before 24 years of age, peaking at 14.5-18 years. Adolescence and young adulthood represent a critical period that forecasts the level of mental wellbeing over lifetime and interventions early in life may be critical in preventing later mental illness.
The Child and Youth Mental Health Group is part of an Australian and European Union-funded consortium called Youth-GEMs that seeks to characterise and model trajectories of mental health in youth. In collaboration with researchers from universities in Europe, this project will combine datasets from longitudinal cohort studies from around the world to investigate the interplay between genetic, epigenetic, and environmental risk in influencing mental health across development.
This project will involve advanced data analytics and statistical inference and will involve combining and analysing different types of data including genetic, clinical and environmental data. The ultimate goal is to develop predictive tools that can be used to aid clinical decision-making in youth mental health.
We are seeking a motivated PhD scholar with a background in genetics, biomedical science, psychology, data science, machine learning or a related field to join our team and work closely with collaborators overseas on this project. There is also the possibility to spend time overseas at one of the collaborating labs.
Supervision history
Current supervision
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Doctor Philosophy
Gene Environment interactions in Mental health trajectories of Youth
Principal Advisor
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Doctor Philosophy
Genetics of childhood onset psychiatric symptoms, their persistence and comorbidity with other traits
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Naomi Wray
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Doctor Philosophy
Genetics of Neurodevelopmental Disorders and associated comorbidities
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Allan McRae
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Doctor Philosophy
ELUCIDATING LIFESTYLE AND GENETIC FACTORS UNDERLYING DEPRESSION HETEROGENEITY AND TREATMENT RESPONSE
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Naomi Wray
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Doctor Philosophy
Multi-Omic Analyses of a Clinical Trial Cohort of Young People at Ultra-High Risk for Psychosis
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Allan McRae, Professor Naomi Wray
Completed supervision
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2023
Doctor Philosophy
The Genomics of Perinatal Depression
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Naomi Wray
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2023
Doctor Philosophy
Embracing Complexity in Psychiatric Genetics: Investigating Heterogeneity and Pleiotropy in Depression and Major Psychiatric Disorders
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Honorary Professor Sarah Medland
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2022
Doctor Philosophy
Genetic and Environmental Influences on Sleep and Internalising Symptoms in Adolescence
Associate Advisor
Media
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