معرفی
Silvia Paracchini is Professor of Neurogenetics and Genomics at the University of St Andrews, School of Medicine, where she leads the Neurogenetics group within the Cellular Medicine Division. She is affiliated with several interdisciplinary units including the Centre for Biophotonics, Biomedical Sciences Research Complex, Institute of Behavioural and Neural Sciences, and the St Andrews Bioinformatics Unit.
Her research focuses on the genetic basis of complex cognitive and behavioral phenotypes, particularly dyslexia, handedness, language disorders, and neurodevelopmental conditions. She employs multidisciplinary approaches such as genome-wide association studies (GWAS), whole exome sequencing, polygenic scoring, and functional genomics to uncover the molecular mechanisms underlying these traits. Her work contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goals in health and well-being.
Recent publications reveal strong trends in human genetics and neurodevelopmental genomics, with studies on handedness, language acquisition in bilingual children, grip strength in youth, and machine learning applications in mental health. Her research increasingly integrates public and patient involvement, as seen in work shaping UK research priorities through lived experience of learning difficulties.
- Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology (2018)
- Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (2019)
- Royal Society University Research Fellowship (2011)
- Member of the RSE Young Academy of Scotland (2013, 2014)
She actively mentors postgraduate researchers and leads significant funded projects, including the Specific Learning Difficulties Network funded by the Medical Research Council. Her lab produces open datasets and software, promoting transparency and reproducibility. She is an active participant in international conferences and public engagement, including media appearances on Left Handers Day.
Her research group, the Neurogenetics group, collaborates widely across the UK and internationally, with recent work involving institutions in Hong Kong, Germany, Spain, and the US. She has served as Principal Investigator on grants from the Medical Research Council, The Royal Society of Edinburgh, and Scottish Funding Council.
