About
Dr Anna Monistrol-Mula completed a BSc in Biochemistry at the University of Barcelona, followed by an MSc in Advanced Genetics at the Autonomous University of Barcelona. She went on to earn a PhD in Epidemiology and Public Health from the University of Barcelona in 2024, graduating with Cum Laude distinction.
She subsequently relocated to Brisbane to join the Complex Trait Genomics group at QIMR Berghofer, where she investigates the genetic architecture of neuropsychiatric conditions. Her research focuses on analysing large-scale genetic and epidemiological datasets to identify risk factors that contribute to individual differences in vulnerability to neuropsychiatric disorders.
Alongside her academic career, Dr Monistrol-Mula has industry experience in pharmaceutical settings, having worked as a medical writer for Eli Lilly and as a Medical Scientific Liaison for Boehringer Ingelheim.
Research Skills
Dr Monistrol Mula’s expertise spans the management and analysis of longitudinal real world evidence (including health registries), large scale genetic datasets, and randomized controlled trial data, with a particular focus on statistical genetics. She applies these approaches to build prediction models that integrate genetic, epidemiological, and clinical data, with the goal of advancing our understanding of risk factors underlying neuropsychiatric disorders.
Area of Interest
- Understanding the genetic and biological causes of neuropsychiatric disorders
- Improving early detection and personalised care in psychiatry
- Large-scale genetic and epidemiological studies
Publications
Monistrol-Mula A, Felez-Nobrega M, Byrne EM, Lind PA, Hickie IB, Martin NG, Medland SE, Colodro-Conde L, Mitchell BL. The effect of polygenic liability to mental disorders on COVID-19 outcomes in people with depression: the mediating role of anxiety. Psychol Med. 2024 Nov 18;54(15):1-10. doi: 10.1017/S0033291724001983. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39552393; PMCID: PMC11650167
Monistrol-Mula A, Diaz-Torres S, Felez-Nobrega M, Haro JM, Medland SE, Mitchell BL. Genetic analyses point to alterations in immune-related pathways underpinning the association between psychiatric disorders and COVID-19. Mol Psychiatry. 2025 Jan;30(1):29-36. doi: 10.1038/s41380-024-02643-0. Epub 2024 Jul 3. PMID: 38956374.
Mitchell B.L.*, Monistrol-Mula A.*, Thomas J.T., Byrne E.M. (2026). The role of genetic data in dissecting depression heterogeneity. Biological Psychiatry. DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2025.10.029. * = shared first authors.