Dr. Laura Vilar-Ribó is a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Department of Psychiatry at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), with a PhD in human genetics. Her work focuses on unravelling the underlying genetic mechanisms that contribute to the development of psychiatric disorders and complex traits, particularly Substance Use Disorders (SUD), Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and impulsivity.
Through rigorous investigation and innovative methodologies that leverage phenotypical and genomic data, she aims to uncover the shared genetic liability and causal relationships between SUD and comorbid conditions characterized by high levels of impulsivity. Moreover, she seeks to provide genetic insights into the heterogeneity of these conditions, paving the way for more targeted interventions and treatments.
During her research career, Dr. Vilar-Ribó was exposed to complex quantitative genomic techniques, including Genome-Wide Association Studies, Polygenic Scores, Phenome-Wide Association Studies, fine-mapping, LD-score regression, genomic SEM, Mendelian Randomization, MiXeR, among others. Additionally, she worked with large-scale datasets such as the UK Biobank, 23andMe, BioVU and Allofus.
Dr. Vilar-Ribó is a highly collaborative researcher; she is an active member of multiple international consortiums, including the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium SUD workgroup (PGC-SUD) and the PsycheMERGE consortium. Through collective efforts and interdisciplinary approaches, she shows her commitment to advancing our understanding of psychiatric genetics and translating these findings into effective interventions and treatments for individuals affected by these conditions.
