Lorna Lopez

Dr. Lorna Lopez is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biology at Maynooth University, part of the Faculty of Science & Engineering. She leads the Family Genomics Research Group (https://www.familygenomics.maynoothuniversity.ie/), focusing on the genetic basis of neurodevelopmental disorders. Previously, she conducted research at Trinity College Dublin (2017-2020), supported by grants from the European Research Council, Science Foundation Ireland (SFI), AXA Research Fund, Health Research Board, and Wellcome Trust. Her work integrates genomic, proteomic, and molecular approaches to study autism and other disorders, leveraging population-based studies (e.g., UK Biobank) and family-based analyses.

Research Interests:
Dr. Lopez's research uses genome sequencing to identify genetic variants linked to neurodevelopmental disorders, with recent focus on ASD-Sleep trait connections through the MU SPUR award. She also investigates population-level genomic variation and its implications for understanding rare disorders. Her work spans schizophrenia proteogenomics, cognitive aging, and psychiatric risk biomarkers in childhood populations.

Publications:
Her peer-reviewed work includes over 50 studies on genomic associations with blood pressure traits, psychotic disorder biomarkers, and brain structure genetics. Key contributions include identifying novel loci for blood pressure regulation and uncovering proteomic evidence linking synaptic density to schizophrenia.

Grants & Leadership:
Recipient of SFI Starting Investigator Research Grant (2017) and AXA Research Fund support. She leads collaborative projects in the ENIGMA Consortium and has organized academic events at World Congresses of Psychiatric Genetics. Her creative outputs include multilingual neuroscience books (e.g., Journey through the Brain) and science communication initiatives.

Labs & Teams:
Her lab at Maynooth University focuses on family-based genomic studies of neurodevelopmental disorders, combining clinical genetics with cutting-edge molecular techniques. The team collaborates internationally on projects like the ALSPAC cohort and UK Biobank analyses.