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

Heritability and a genome-wide linkage analysis of a Type II/B cluster construct for cannabis dependence in an American Indian community. Ehlers CL, Gilder DA, Gizer IR, Wilhelmsen KC. Addict Biol. 2009 Jul;14(3):338-48.

Association between harmful alcohol consumption behavior and dopamine transporter (DAT1) gene polymorphisms in a male Finnish population. Lind PA, Eriksson CJ, Wilhelmsen KC. Psychiatr Genet. 2009 Jun;19(3):117-25.

The role of aldehyde dehydrogenase-1 (ALDH1A1) polymorphisms in harmful alcohol consumption in a Finnish population. Lind PA, Eriksson CJ, Wilhelmsen KC. Hum Genomics. 2008 Sep;3(1):24-35.

Ehlers CL, Lind PA, Wilhelmsen KC. Association between single nucleotide polymorphisms in the mu opioid receptor gene (OPRM1) and self-reported responses to alcohol in American Indians.BMC Med Genet. 2008 Apr 23;9:35.

Ehlers CL, Gilder DA, Slutske WS, Lind PA, Wilhelmsen KC. Externalizing disorders in American Indians: comorbidity and a genome wide linkage analysis.Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet. 2008 Sep 5;147B(6):690-8.

Quinzii CM, Vu TH, Min KC, Tanji K, Barral S, Grewal RP, Kattah A, Camaño P, Otaegui D, Kunimatsu T, Blake DM, Wilhelmsen KC, Rowland LP, Hays AP, Bonilla E, Hirano M. X-linked dominant scapuloperoneal myopathy is due to a mutation in the gene encoding four-and-a-half-LIM protein 1. Am J Hum Genet. 2008 Jan;82(1):208-13.

Ehlers CL, Slutske WS, Lind PA, Wilhelmsen KC. Association between single nucleotide polymorphisms in the cannabinoid receptor gene (CNR1) and impulsivity in southwest California Indians. Twin Res Hum Genet. 2007 Dec;10(6):805-11.

Wright FA, Huang H, Guan X, Gamiel K, Jeffries C, Barry WT, de Villena FP, Sullivan PF, Wilhelmsen KC, Zou F. Simulating association studies: a data-based resampling method for candidate regions or whole genome scans. Bioinformatics. 2007 Oct 1;23(19):2581-8.

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.