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

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.

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.

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. 2010 Jul 1:1-10.

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.

Age at regular drinking, clinical course, and heritability of alcohol dependence in the San Francisco family study: a gender analysis.  Ehlers CL, Gizer IR, Vieten C, Gilder A, Gilder DA, Stouffer GM, Lau P, Wilhelmsen KC.  Am J Addict. 2010 Mar;19(2):101-10.

Linkage analyses of cannabis dependence, craving, and withdrawal in the San Francisco family study.  Ehlers CL, Gizer IR, Vieten C, Wilhelmsen KC. Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet. 2010 Apr 5;153B(3):802-11.

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.