Genetics of bipolar disorder in Asian adults
Official title: 4/4 Asian Bipolar Genetics Network (A-BIG-NET)
Funded at National Taiwan University · NIH-11164630 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are collecting genetic, clinical, and life-stress information from Asian adults with and without bipolar disorder to find genetic differences that affect risk and course of illness.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | National Taiwan University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Taipei, Taiwan) |
| Project start | September 16, 2022 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $372,632 |
| NIH project number | 4RF1MH130674-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11164630 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults aged 21 and older of East or South Asian ancestry who have a clinical diagnosis of bipolar disorder (and matched Asian adults without the disorder as controls) are the ideal participants.
✕Less likely to help
People who are not of Asian ancestry or those seeking immediate changes to their personal treatment are unlikely to gain direct clinical benefit from participation in this genetics research.
What this research studies
This international project will gather DNA, medical histories, and information about environmental stressors from tens of thousands of Asian adults, including about 27,500 people with bipolar disorder and 16,000 controls. Teams across Taiwan, South Korea, Singapore, India, Pakistan, and the U.S. will use low-pass whole genome sequencing and detailed clinical data to search for common and rare genetic variants linked to bipolar disorder. Participants may be asked to provide a blood or saliva sample, complete questionnaires, and allow access to relevant medical records. The aim is to discover genetic signals specific to Asian populations and to combine genetics with life-experience data to better understand illness patterns.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal genetic factors tailored to Asian populations that improve diagnosis, risk prediction, and point to new treatment targets for bipolar disorder.
How similar studies have gone: Large-scale genetic studies in European-ancestry groups have found bipolar-associated loci using similar methods, but comparable large datasets in Asian populations are limited, so this applies proven tools to a less-studied group.
Where this research is happening
-
National Taiwan University
Taipei, Taiwan Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kuo, Po Hsiu — National Taiwan University
- Study coordinator: Kuo, Po Hsiu
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.