Research Focus
At the Computational Neurogenomics Laboratory, we work at the intersection of human genetics, data science, digital biomarkers, and brain health. Our research focuses on understanding the genetic and molecular foundations of complex brain-related traits and diseases, particularly Parkinson’s disease (PD).
We are building world-leading resources by integrating genomics, neuroimaging, wearable-derived digital biomarkers, and electronic health data to accelerate discoveries in disease prediction, progression, and personalised care.
We lead major national and international initiatives such as the Australian Parkinson’s Genetics Study (APGS), now the largest PD genetics cohort in Australia, and collaborate globally through programs like the Global Parkinson’s Genetics Program (GP2), the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium (PGC), and the Enhancing NeuroImaging Genetics through Meta-Analysis (ENIGMA) Consortium.
Our work combines big data analysis, statistical genomics, and translational science to uncover the biological drivers of clinical heterogeneity and to develop real-world tools to monitor and predict disease progression.
Gallery
Research Projects
Current Research Projects
The Australian Parkinson’s Disease Study: From GWAS to Treatment
Monogenic Parkinson’s Disease Australia Initiative (MonoPDAus Initiative): Towards a Precision Medicine Approach
Characterising the genetic architecture of polygenic conditions, including Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, sleep apnoea, acne, self-harm behaviours, chronic pain, depression, and others
Research Team
Dr Luis García-Marín
Dr Natalia Ogonowski
Dr Santiago Diaz-Torres
Dr Freddy Chafota
Funding
- Rebecca L Cooper Medical Research Foundation, Australia
- National Health and Medical Research Council, Australia
- Medical Research Future Fund, Australia
- The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, USA
- Shake It Up Australia Foundation, Australia
- IMPACT Philanthropy Funding, Perpetual Ltd, Australia
- National Institute of Mental Health, USA
- American Parkinson’s Disease Association, USA
- Alzheimer’s Association, USA
Selected publications
Hibar DP*, Stein JL*, Rentería ME*, ... [256 coauthors], Thompson PM & Medland, SE (2015). Common genetic variants influence human subcortical brain structures. Nature, 520, 224-229. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature14101
Campos AI, García-Marín LM, Byrne EM, Martin NG, Cuéllar-Partida G & Rentería ME (2020). Insights into the aetiology of snoring from observational and genetic investigations in the U.K. Biobank. Nature Communications, 11[1], 817. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-14625-1
Campos AI, Thompson PM, Veltman DJ, ... [54 coauthors], Schmaal L & Rentería ME (2021). Brain correlates of suicide attempt in 18,925 participants across 18 international cohorts. Biological Psychiatry. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsych.2021.03.015
Further Information
- Adrián I. Campos, PhD, UQ Australia (2018-2021)
- Brittany L. Mitchell, PhD QUT Australia (2018-2021)
- Dulari J. Lekamlage, PhD, QUT Australia (2019-2022)
- Luis M. García-Marín, PhD, UQ Australia (2021-2024)
- Asma M. Aman, Masters, LMU Munich Germany (2021)
- Xóchitl Díaz-Téllez, BSc, UNAM Mexico (2023-2024)
- Adam Vogel, University of Melbourne Australia
- Adrián Zegarra-Valdivia, Señor de Sipán University Peru
- Alejandra Medina-Rivera, UNAM Mexico
- Alejandra Ruiz Contreras, UNAM Mexico
- Alexis Edwards, Virginia Commonwealth University USA
- Athula Sumathipala, IRD Colombo, Sri Lanka
- Carlos Cruz, National Psychiatry Institute Mexico
- Dale Nyholt, QUT Australia
- Gabriela Martinez, National Psychiatry Institute Mexico
- George Mellick, Griffith University Australia
- Ignacio Mata, Cleveland Clinic USA
- Jennifer Yokoyama, UCSF USA
- Jill Rabinowitz, Rutgers University USA
- Joyce Wang, Sun Yat-Sen University China
- Kishore Kumar, Garvan Institute Australia
- Lianne Schmaal, Orygen & Uni of Melbourne Australia
- Michael Simpson, King's College London USA
- Paul Thompson, University of Southern California USA
- Sarael Alcauter, UNAM Mexico
- Xianjun Dong, Yale University USA
International Consortia:
