Large-scale look at how genes and epigenetics relate to mental illness across many traits
Official title: Large-scale transcriptome and epigenome association analysis across multiple traits
Funded at James J Peters VA Medical Center · NIH-11290788 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A large study using a huge veteran biobank to understand how genetic and epigenetic factors connect with serious mental illnesses in diverse people.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | James J Peters VA Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Bronx, United States) |
| Project start | October 1, 2018 |
| Project end | March 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| NIH project number | 5I01BX004189-08 |
| Project ID | NIH-11290788 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are veterans whose health records and genetic data are part of the MVP and who have or are at risk for serious mental illness.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without a connection to the MVP dataset or without mental health conditions may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
This project uses data from the Million Veteran Program, including genetic information and detailed health records from hundreds of thousands of veterans, to explore how gene activity and epigenetic marks relate to psychiatric conditions. The goal is to map how regulatory DNA changes influence brain biology and contribute to risk for serious mental illness. Researchers will analyze existing human data to identify patterns that may point to new ways to predict, prevent, or tailor treatments for these conditions. While the work is largely computational, it relies on human genetic and health information to uncover clinically important insights.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, findings could improve understanding of mental illness and guide more personalized prevention and treatment strategies.
How similar studies have gone: Large-scale genetic and epigenetic studies have shown promising leads, but functional relevance of many loci remains uncertain; this work seeks to advance that understanding.
Where this research is happening
-
James J Peters VA Medical Center
Bronx, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Roussos, Panagiotis — James J Peters VA Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Roussos, Panagiotis
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.