Jessica Dennis: Assistant Professor at Department of Medical Genetics, UBC Faculty of Medicine

Assistant Professor

Faculty of Medicine

Research Classification

Complex Trait Genetics

Genetics of Neurological and Psychiatric Diseases

Epidemiology

Mental Health and Psychopathology in Children and Youth

Bioinformatics

Research Interests

genetic epidemiology

statistical genetics

Precision Health

Electronic health records

Administrative health data

Machine Learning

Relevant Degree Programs

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Affiliations to Research Centres, Institutes & Clusters

BC Children's Hospital Research Institute

Harnessing the Social Exposome to Reduce Inequalities in Child Health and Development in Canada

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Recruitment

Looking to recruit:

Master's students

Doctoral students

Postdoctoral Fellows

Desired start dates: Any time / year round

Potential research project areas:

The last decade has seen an unprecedented explosion of data. In medicine, data are increasingly being generated and linked across electronic health records, administrative databases, and biobanked samples. These resources hold tremendous promise for improving human health and achieving precision medicine, which will only be realized by thoughtful study designs and innovative analyses.

My lab uses novel computational methods grounded in genetic epidemiology and statistical genetics to capitalize on today’s big data resources. We aim to understand how genetic and epigenetic differences between people contribute to variation in disease susceptibility, response to treatment, and recovery. A primary goal of our research is to reduce the suffering associated with psychiatric disorders, many of which first manifest in childhood and adolescence. We conduct studies in large population datasets, with a major interest in electronic health records and biobanks, and we work at the intersection of genetics, epidemiology, statistics, bioinformatics, and computer science.

Other options

I support public scholarship, e.g. through the Public Scholars Initiative, and am available to supervise students and Postdocs interested in collaborating with external partners as part of their research.

I support experiential learning experiences, such as internships and work placements, for my graduate students and Postdocs.

I am open to hosting Visiting International Research Students (non-degree, up to 12 months).

I am interested in hiring Co-op students for research placements.

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