About me

I am a researcher trained in the Natural Science Program of Uppsala University, with a M.Sc in Biology 1995. I became very fond of DNA and the possibilites to study how genetic variants inherited from parents influence our lives. I got a PhD in Medical Genetics and my research has since then mostly focused on genetic influences to health, both directly as well as through behaviour and lifestyle.

Leading the Swedish Twin Registry

I am in charge of the Swedish Twin Registry (STR) with responsibility for data/sample collection, handling of research applications, data withdrawals and research collaborations. I am also chair of the STR Steering Committee. The epidemiologic and genetic data available in the STR are utilized in studies of a large number of diseases and health related traits by various groups in Sweden and abroad.

Research description

My research is often done in the interphase between register based studies, biomeasurements and molecular genetics.

Main approaches:

Twin models, heritability, variance partitioning Large scale gene mapping for complex disease and other traits Estimation of genetic susceptibility and predisposition Epigenetics

Current supervision of PhD students

Co-supervisor

  • Torsten Dahlén
  • Qianwei Liu

Complete publication list:

http://bibliometrics.ki.se/public/publicProfile/310

Teaching portfolio

I teach genetics and genetic epidemiology in the Medical and Psychology programs at KI and occasionally at Stockholm University and Uppsala University. I was responsible for the KI graduate course "Genetic Epidemiology" between 2009 and 2015.

Education

  • M.Sc., Natural Sciences (main Biology), Uppsala University (1995)
  • PhD, Medical Genetics, Uppsala University (2000)
  • Postdoc, Columbia University, New York (2002)

Academic honours, awards and prizes

Swedish cancer-thesis of the year award, given by the Swedish Cancer Fund, 2001.  

The Hwasserska award for the best medical thesis of the year from Uppsala University, given by the Uppsala Läkaresällskap, 2000.

Among 2017 Highly Cited Researchers, with research produced last decade ranking among the top 1% most cited works in the field, https://clarivate.com/hcr/