PGC Functional Genomics

From Genomes to Conversations: Outreach and Engagement in Psychiatric Genetics - Behavior Genetics Outreach in psychiatric genetics bridges the gaps across research advancements, clinical practice, and public understanding. Effective communication with a range of audiences faces multiple challenges...

The project was lead by
@helenadavies.bsky.social
and
@drniamhryan.bsky.social and you can find the full, 🌟open access 🌟article here link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10519-025-10246-w

They underscore that such an approach will grow trust in science, and improve the science itself, by guiding researchers to design🧐studies centred on outcomes most meaningful for those living with psychiatric disorders🫂.

The authors also highlight that the increasing prevalence of mis- and disinformation makes it essential for researchers to facilitate multidirectional engagement with ALL those affected by research, from other scientists🧑🏽‍🔬, to clinicians👩🏽‍⚕️, to those affected and beyond🚀.

The article discusses the importance of multidirectional communication📡in #psychiatricgenetics, the barriers it faces, and the efforts of the
PGC to integrate it into psychiatric 🧠genetics research🧬.

Exciting news!

The first publication from the @pgcgenetics.bsky.social Outreach Committee has been published 📰😱

"From Genomes to Conversations: Outreach and Engagement in Psychiatric Genetics," published this month in Behaviour Genetics. 🎉

🔗link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10519-025-10246-w

So, who are the the Functional Genomics Working Group?

🎯Our goal is to understand how genes🧬, cells🦠and molecules💠contribute to psychiatric disorders🧠

We work with other PGC groups and different 'omics data (methylation, cytometry, single cell etc.) to do this🧪

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The @fg-pgc.bsky.social is all about understanding how our genetic findings🔬translate into psychiatric conditions 🧠

We have 5 project groups, and we are excited to introduce the✨Functional Validation✨group first!

We asked them for a status update and a highlight of the year...

The second of our 5 project groups we are thrilled to introduce is the✨Isoforms✨group!

Isoforms are different versions of RNA transcripts or proteins🧬

They are a result of splicing✂️during gene expression and are an important part of how one gene can act in different ways!

Next up is the awesome✨Methylation-wide association studies✨group!

AKA the MWAS group😉

#Epigenetics are changes that happen to DNA expression🧬without actually changing the sequence!

Instead, these changes happen to molecules that are attached to the DNA - how cool 🤯!

Our fourth group is the ✨Multi-level Quantitative Trait Loci✨group!

🧬AKA themQTL group🧬

🔎QTL analysis is a way to understand how genetic sequences🧬affect gene expression...

🧐Think RNA transcripts and proteins!

All these methods to understand genetics🤩

Before we get started, let’s introduce our two Social Media Reps - @natashaberthold.bsky.social and @evacschulte.bsky.social!

We're here for the #functionalgenomics🧬, and #Science #Communication📡is a🔑key part!

💫Check out their profiles💫

Check out our posts on the main @pgcgenetics.bsky.social account over the next two weeks!

Such a huge congratulations to the team🥳

Remember, you can find the full article here 🔗bit.ly/49syndi

#epigenetics #DNAmethylation

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Key Takeaways🔑:

✨EpiAnceR+ improves ancestry adjustment when genotyping data aren’t available

✨and is compatible with all major Illumina methylation arrays

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Results📊:

✨EpiAnceR+ improved on existing methods✨

Its ancestry PCs:

1⃣clustered repeated samples more tightly,

2⃣correlated more strongly with true genetic ancestry,

3⃣and outperformed methylation-based PCs and surrogate variables for ancestry correction

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Methods🗒️:

To address this, the team developed EpiAnceR+🧑🏾‍💻,

an R-based tool for ancestry adjustment in DNA methylation studies🧬

Function:

1⃣removes technical and biological noise, integrates SNP-related data

2⃣and generates ancestry PCs for downstream analysis

🧵3/6

Background❓:

🧬Genetic ancestry can confound DNA methylation results

🧬When genotyping data aren’t available, existing ancestry-adjustment methods often:

1⃣perform suboptimally,

2⃣or aren’t compatible with newer methylation arrays

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✨Hello folks!✨

We're back in your feed with an amazing paper spotlight by @kirahoeffler.bsky.social & colleagues📰🔦

"Optimizing genetic ancestry adjustment in DNA methylation studies: a comparative analysis of approaches"

🔗http://bit.ly/49syndi

Read our overview below!

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Watch the video📽️attached to see what each of these awesome #FemsinSTEM are up to!

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The FG PGC is proud to have✨4 out of the 7✨leadership roles held by women.

These fearless fem leaders include @janitzamontalvo.bsky.social , @hyejungwon.bsky.social sky.social, Xueyi Shen, and of course, our wonderful co-chair, @maryellenlynall.bsky.social

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Happy #internationalwomensday for 2025 folks! 🎉

We hope you had a great day, and thought we’d celebrate some of our awesome #FemsinSTEM with you all👩‍🔬

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Full link here🔗www.nature.com/articles/s41467-024-55611-1

Huge congrats to the team!!🥳

We are super excited to do our first BlueSky #science paper highlight!

Shuyang Yao and @hjerling-leffler.bsky.social et al. have performed an awesome investigation🕵️of how #genetics may functionally affect brain connectivity in psychiatric disorders🧠

Check out the summary video and find the🔗below!

To find out more about who we are and how YOU can be involved, check out our intro video, and the website link below!⬇️⬇️
pgc.unc.edu/for-research...

#science #Genetics #PsychiatricGenetics

The PGC Functional Genomics workgroup serves as a dynamic hub for collaborative, open discovery science and scalable method development. We aim to understand how genes, cells and molecules impact the symptoms and course of psychiatric disorders in populations globally.