Daniëlle Posthuma (1972) investigates the causes of individual differences in brain-related traits. Her research aims at elucidating underlying biological pathways and translating these to modifiable targets that can aid in treating brain disorders.
Her expertise is in statistical genetics, and in translating statistical findings into hypotheses that can be tested in cellular models, e.g. using stem-cell biology or pharmaceutical interventions. She integrates knowledge and methods from different fields (biology, genetics, neuroimaging, bioinformatics). Central research themes focus on pathway analyses, genetic risk prediction, comorbidity analyses and developing statistical tools to analyze and understand genomic data for cognitive and psychiatric traits. Her lab consists of a multidisciplinary team including mathematicians, economists, bioinformaticians, psychologists and stem-cell biologists.
Daniëlle Posthuma was appointed as a URC professor on 1 January 2016.