Faculty & Research

Kirk Wilhelmsen, M.D., Ph.D

Associate Professor

Departments of Genetics and Neurology

Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies

Email | kirk@med.unc.edu

Lab Website | Human Neurogenetics

Research Interests

The Wilhelmsen lab is engaged in the genetic mapping of susceptibility loci for complex neurological diseases and has been developing large-scale automated gene mapping technologies to facilitate these mapping efforts. They have invested heavily in automation that enables high-throughput genotyping and data processing. As data accumulates, this will enable parametric and nonparametric linkage analysis of large numbers of traits at regular intervals for the entire genome. The Wilhelmsen lab is applying these techniques to two projects: (1) the genetics of alcoholism and (2) positional cloning of the gene responsible for a family of disorders called frontotemporal dementia and parkinsonism linked to chromosome 17 (FTDP-17).

Recent Publications

Click for full publication list on PubMed

Wright FA, Huang H, Guan X, Gamiel K, Jeffries C, Barry WT, Pardo-Manuel F, Sullivan PF, Wilhelmsen KC, Zou F.  Simulating association studies: a data-based resampling method for candidate regions or whole genome scans. Bioinformatics. 2007 Sep 4.

Swan GE, Lessov-Schlaggar CN, Krasnow RE, Wilhelmsen KC, Jacob P 3rd, Benowitz NL. Genetic and environmental sources of variation in heart rate response to infused nicotine in twins. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2007 Jun;16(6):1057-64.

Ehlers CL, Wall TL, Corey L, Lau P, Gilder DA, Wilhelmsen K. (2007) Heritability of illicit drug use and transition to dependence in Southwest California Indians. Psychiatr Genet. 17(3):171-176.

Ehlers CL, Slutske WS, Gilder DA, Lau P, Wilhelmsen KC. (2006) Age at first intoxication and alcohol use disorders in Southwest California Indians. Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 30(11):1856-65.

Ehlers CL, Wilhelmsen KC. (2007) Genomic screen for substance dependence and body mass index in southwest California Indians. Genes Brain Behav. 6(2):184-91.

Ehlers CL, Wilhelmsen KC. (2006) Genomic screen for loci associated with tobacco usage in Mission Indians. BMC Med Genet. Feb 10;7:9.

Swan GE, Benowitz NL, Lessov CN, Jacob P 3rd, Tyndale RF, Wilhelmsen K. (2005) Nicotine metabolism: the impact of CYP2A6 on estimates of additive genetic influence. Pharmacogenet Genomics 15:115-25.

Ehlers CL, and Wilhelmsen KC. (2005) Genomic scan for alcohol craving in Mission Indians. Psychiatr Genet 15:71-75.