Andrew Morris

Jan 15, 2025 | onlinelibrary.wiley.com | Stephen Eyre |Magnus Rattray |Andrew Morris |Inti Pagnuco

1 Introduction Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have successfully identified regions of the genome associated with complex human traits and diseases. However, the identification of causal genes and the understanding of the biological mechanisms underpinning these associations often remain unclear (Visscher et al. 2012).

Nov 14, 2024 | nature.com | Andrew Morris

AbstractMicrobiomes contribute to variation in many plant and animal traits, suggesting that microbiome-mediated traits could evolve through selection on the host. However, for such evolution to occur, microbiomes must exhibit sufficient heritability to contribute to host adaptation. Previous work has attempted to estimate the heritability of a variety of microbiome attributes.

Jul 12, 2024 | thelancet.com | Andrew Morris

After their election win, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and the Labour Government must now act on their manifesto commitment to deliver a National Health Service (NHS) fit for the future. To achieve this, the new UK Government needs to ensure that the NHS becomes a research engine that improves patient outcomes and drives the UK economy.

Mar 18, 2024 | nature.com | Xiaoguang Xu |Chachrit Khunsriraksakul |James M. Eales |David Talavera |Lida Wang |Abigail C. Lay | +8 more

AbstractGenetic mechanisms of blood pressure (BP) regulation remain poorly defined. Using kidney-specific epigenomic annotations and 3D genome information we generated and validated gene expression prediction models for the purpose of transcriptome-wide association studies in 700 human kidneys. We identified 889 kidney genes associated with BP of which 399 were prioritised as contributors to BP regulation.

Feb 20, 2024 | nature.com | Andrew Morris |George Smith |Laura M Huckins

AbstractMultimorbidity represents an increasingly important public health challenge with far-reaching implications for health management and policy. Mental health and metabolic diseases have a well-established epidemiological association. In this study, we investigate the genetic intersection between type 2 diabetes and schizophrenia. We use Mendelian randomization to examine potential causal relationships between the two conditions and related endophenotypes.