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

Genome-wide linkage scan of antisocial behavior, depression, and impulsive substance use in the UCSF family alcoholism study. Gizer IR, Ehlers CL, Vieten C, Feiler HS, Gilder DA, Wilhelmsen KC. Psychiatr Genet. 2012 Apr 18.

Significance of genomic rearrangements in epilepsy. Wilhelmsen KC. Arch Neurol. 2012 Mar;69(3):305-7.

Linkage analyses of stimulant dependence, craving, and heavy use in American Indians. Ehlers CL, Gizer IR, Gilder DA, Wilhelmsen KC. Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet. 2011 Dec;156B(7):772-80.

Association of alcohol dehydrogenase genes with alcohol-related phenotypes in a Native American community sample. Gizer IR, Edenberg HJ, Gilder DA, Wilhelmsen KC, Ehlers CL. Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 2011 Nov;35(11):2008-18.

Antipsychotic-induced vacuous chewing movements and extrapyramidal side effects are highly heritable in mice. Crowley JJ, Adkins DE, Pratt AL, Quackenbush CR, van den Oord EJ, Moy SS, Wilhelmsen KC, Cooper TB, Bogue MA, McLeod HL, Sullivan PF. Pharmacogenomics J. 2012 Apr;12(2):147-55.

Linkage scan of alcohol dependence in the UCSF Family Alcoholism Study. Gizer IR, Ehlers CL, Vieten C, Seaton-Smith KL, Feiler HS, Lee JV, Segall SK, Gilder DA, Wilhelmsen KC. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2011 Jan 15;113(2-3):125-32.

Linkage scan of nicotine dependence in the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) Family Alcoholism Study. Gizer IR, Ehlers CL, Vieten C, Seaton-Smith KL, Feiler HS, Lee JV, Segall SK, Gilder DA, Wilhelmsen KC. Psychol Med. 2011 Apr;41(4):799-808

Genome-wide scan for self-rating of the effects of alcohol in American Indians. Ehlers CL, Gizer IR, Schuckit MA, Wilhelmsen KC. Psychiatr Genet. 2010 Oct;20(5):221-8.

Heritability of MMPI-2 scales in the UCSF family alcoholism study.  Gizer IR, Seaton-Smith KL, Ehlers CL, Vieten C, Wilhelmsen KC. J Addict Dis. 2010 Jan;29(1):84-97.

EEG alpha phenotypes: linkage analyses and relation to alcohol dependence in an American Indian community study. Ehlers CL, Gizer IR, Phillips E, Wilhelmsen KC. BMC Med Genet. 2010 Mar 18;11:43.