Professor and Associate Director, Center for Biomarker Research and Precision Medicine (BPM) and Co-Director of the VCU Genomics Core. PhD from Uppsala University, Sweden, 2005. Dr. Aberg’s research interests are focused on the genetic and epigenetic basis of the development of psychiatric phenotypes, such as schizophrenia, depression, autism spectrum disorder and addiction. The team also studies inter-individual variation in response to pharmaceuticals commonly used to treat psychiatric disorders. Aberg and collaborators were early adaptors of next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology, including multi-omic single-nuclei sequencing. Her research program includes large-scale methylome-wide association studies (MWAS) and transcriptome-wide association studies (TWAS), that are used individually and integrated with other omic data.
Area of Focus
- Single-cell & single-nucleus sequencing
- Epigenetics, DNA methylation
- Methylome-wide association study (MWAS)
- Genomics & transcriptomics
- Psychiatric and behavioral phenotypes
- Individual treatment response, efficacy and adverse effects
Education
- Ph.D., biology (Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden, 2005)
- M.S., medical science (Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden, 2001)
- B.S., medical science (Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden, 2000)
Professional Experience
- (2022 - Present) Professor, Center for Biomarker Research and Precision Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University
- (2021 - Present) Co-Director, VCU Genomics Core, Virginia Commonwealth University
- (2018 - 2022) Associate Professor, Center for Biomarker Research and Precision Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University
- (2016 - Present) Graduate Faculty, Virginia Commonwealth University
- (2014 - Present) Associate Director, Center for Biomarker Research and Precision Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University
- (2009 - 2018) Research Assistant Professor, Center for Biomarker Research and Precision Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University
- (2008 - 2009) Postdoctoral fellow, Center for Biomarker Research and Precision Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University
- (2006 - 2008) Postdoctoral fellow, Department of Human Genetics, University of Pittsburgh