Sarah E. Medland

Sarah E. Medland is a leading researcher in psychiatric genetics and neuroimaging genetics at QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute. She has established herself as a prominent figure through extensive contributions to understanding the genetic architecture of brain structure and psychiatric disorders.

Dr. Medland's research spans several key areas:

• Genetic contributions to brain morphology and function
• Psychiatric genetics of depression, bipolar disorder, and ADHD
• Neuroimaging genetics using MRI and advanced analytical techniques
• Large-scale genomic studies across international consortia
• Gene-environment interactions in mental health

Her recent work demonstrates a strong integration of neuroimaging with genetic data to understand brain development across the lifespan. She has made significant methodological contributions to normative modeling of brain development and harmonization of multi-site neuroimaging data. Her research on gene-environment interactions, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, has provided valuable insights into mental health vulnerability.

Dr. Medland is a key contributor to major international consortia including ENIGMA (Enhancing Neuro Imaging Genetics through Meta-Analysis) and has published extensively in top-tier journals such as Nature Genetics, Biological Psychiatry, and Molecular Psychiatry.

As a mentor and collaborator, she has worked with numerous researchers across Australia and internationally, contributing to the training of next-generation scientists in psychiatric genetics. Her leadership in large-scale collaborative projects has significantly advanced the field of psychiatric genomics.