Joanna M. Biernacka, Ph.D.

My research focus is in the area of genetics of complex diseases, in particular addiction and other psychiatric illnesses.

As the statistical geneticist in the SC Johnson Genomics of Addiction Program, I assist investigators within the program with designing studies, and analysing the resulting data. These studies are aimed at elucidating the complex relationships between particular genetic variants and traits such as increased risk of developing alcoholism, or increased likelihood of responding to a specific treatment.

As these types of analyses require the application of advanced statistical techniques, I also work on the development of novel statistical methods for the analysis of genetic data. My methods development research is currently focused primarily on gene-set analysis and methods for detection of gene-gene interactions. I am the principal investigator on a grant from the NIAAA focused on "Pathway-based analysis of addiction susceptibility genes", as well as a grant from NIDA entitled "Methods for detecting interacting risk factors for addictions".

As part of my collaborative research, I am co-PI on a foundation grant for the establishment of a biobank for bipolar disorder, and a co-investigator on several grants, including a P20 center grant for the establishment of the "Mayo Clinic Center for Individualized Treatment of Alcohol Dependence" (PI D. Mrazek), an R01 grant to investigate "1H-MR spectroscopy of bipolar depression before and after Lamotrigine treatment" (PI: M Frye), and a grant on "Molecular epidemiology of Parkinson's disease" (PI: D. Maraganore).