Computational Approaches to Infer the Role of Human Endogenous Retroviruses and Long Interspersed Nuclear Elements-1 in the Aetiology of Neuropsychiatric Conditions.

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Our work is relevant to mental health conditions that have a genetic component, specifically focusing on neuropsychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depression. These conditions are complex and multifaceted, often influenced by a combination of genetic, environmental, and social factors. Our study aims to uncover how ancient viral DNA and genetic elements might contribute to the risk and development of these disorders.

 

Our project aims to explore how genetic susceptibility to neuropsychiatric disorders influences the expression of ancient viral DNA and genetic elements in the human genome, known as human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) and long interspersed nuclear element-1 (LINE-1s). By integrating advanced bioinformatics tools with large-scale genomic datasets obtained from brain and blood, we seek to uncover the roles these genomic elements playin disease mechanisms. This research has the potential to identify novel drug targets and biomarkers, ultimately contributing to a better understanding and treatment of psychiatric and neurodegenerative conditions.

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