Sarah Medland
Professor | Distinguished Scientist | Group Leader
sarah.medland@qimrberghofer.edu.au
CURRENT APPOINTMENTS
Current: Coordinator of the Mental Health Research Program and Group Leader Psychiatric Genetics, QIMR Berghofer
2019-2024: Member, Board of Directors, International Society of Psychiatric Genetics
2019-2022: Secretary, Behavior Genetics Association (International)
2020-current: Adjunct Professor in the Faculty of Health, School – Psychology and Counselling, Queensland University of Technology
2018-current: Honorary Professor, School of Psychology and Translational Research Institute, University of Queensland
2018-current: Co-chair, QIMR Berghofer Early Career Mentoring Committee
2014-current: Associate Director, International workshop on statistical genetic methods for human complex traits
2010-current: Chair Genomics Working Group, ENIGMA MRI Imaging Genetic Consortium
2009-current: Visiting Scientist, Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT (Boston, USA)
PREVIOUS APPOINTMENTS
2016-2019: Research Advisory & Scientific Advisory Groups – Herston Imaging Research Facility
2014-2017: Member-at-Large, Behavior Genetics Association
2012-2015: Australian Research Council Future Fellow (L1)
2007-2010: Sidney Sax Australian National Health and Medical Research Council Post-doctoral Fellow
2006-2009: Post-doctoral fellow, Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond (USA)
ORCID NUMBER
RESEARCHER ID
CURRENT AREAS OF RESEARCH
- Professor Medland focuses on two research themes which seek to improve i) our understanding of the mechanisms influencing mental health and ii) the translation of these findings through a focus on treatment response and cost of illness and through reducing stigma by improving or understanding of mental health challenges
- current projects focus on identifying genetic variants influencing the structure and function of the human brain, psychiatric disorders including: ADHD, ASD, Bipolar disorder, Depression and Schizophrenia, Women’s health and pregnancy related conditions
- Professor Medland also works on improving communication of genetic findings and improving the evidence base to aid decisions about pharmacogenomic testing
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
- Behavior Genetics Association
- International Society of Psychiatric Genetics
- American Society of Human Genetics
AWARDS RECOGNITION
2020
- Order of Australia Medal – Queen’s Birthday Honours List for service to medical research in the field of genetics
2019
- Fellow Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia (FASSA)
- Fellow Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences (FAHMS)
2017
- Ruth Stephens Gani Medal, Australian Academy of Science. The award recognises distinguished research in human genetics, by an early-career researcher
2015
- Full Member of the Australian Psychological Society (MAPS; Membership involves an assessment of an applicant’s qualifications in Psychology and the focus of the PhD thesis)
- Theodore Reich Young Investigator Award, International Society of Psychiatric Genetics Awarded annually for published work on psychiatric genetics that is of exceptional merit First recipient from outside the US or Europe
2014
- Emerging research leader Visiting Professorship Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam
2011
- Fuller & Scott Award Behavior Genetics Association, Newport (USA) for outstanding early career contributions to the field
- Fulker Award Behavior Genetics Association, Newport (USA) for best paper published in the journal Behavior Genetics in 2010
EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND
2006: PhD (Psychology), University of Queensland “The Genetic Epidemiology of Behavioural Laterality” Dean’s Award for Outstanding Research Higher Degree Thesis
2001: BA Hons (Psychology), University of Queensland, Thesis: Sex Differences in Language Lateralization
2000: BA (Psychology Double Major, English Minor) University of Queensland