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Overview

Martin KennedyHead of Department of Pathology and Biomedical Science
Director, Carney Centre for Pharmacogenomics
Laboratory Director, Gene Structure and Function Laboratory

BSc(Hons)(Cant), PhD(Auck)

Email martin.kennedy@otago.ac.nz
Tel +64 3 244 1092

Research interests

Professor Martin Kennedy's main research interests are psychiatric genetics, pharmacogenomics, and the genetics of complex disease.

His current research largely focuses on pharmacogenomics, which aims to understand how drugs and genes interact with the goal of improving drug treatments and reducing adverse drug reactions.  For example, analysis of genetic variation in genes such as those that encode drug metabolising liver enzymes like CYP2D6 and CYP2C19, is helping to determine genetic factors that impact on response to treatments for various diseases.

For a more comprehensive analysis of genetic factors impacting drug response or risks of adverse drug reactions, they are also applying Next Generation DNA sequencing methods including exome sequencing and other genomic approaches to explore drug response phenotypes.

In order to understand severe adverse drug reactions, his lab has developed a biobank for collecting biological samples of people who have suffered such reactions, called UDRUGS. This biobank is growing, and will enhance efforts to understand genetic factors that contribute to severe adverse drug reactions.

Other research interests include work with the Christchurch Health and Development Study looking at genetic contributions to a range of complex human traits, and a study focusing on the genetics of anorexia nervosa.

In addition, Martin's laboratory is examining the impact of G-quadruplex DNA structures and their relevance to genomic imprinting and other aspects of genome biology.

Education

Professor Kennedy obtained his BSc(Hons) at University of Canterbury, and his PhD in bacterial genetics at the University of Auckland, and carried out postdoctoral research in leukaemia genetics at the Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge (UK) before returning to University of Otago, Christchurch in 1991.

In the media

Professor Martin Kennedy was interviewed for Radio New Zealand's Our Changing World series in May 2013.

Useful information

Similar research opportunities

Publications

Kerekere, T. W. A., Hitchman, L., Miller, A. L., Goodin, E., Koia, C., Watson, H., Robertson, S. P., Wilcox, P., & Kennedy, M. A. (2024). Allelic diversity of pharmacogenes CYP2D6 and CPY2C19 in Māori from Te Tairāwhiti, Aotearoa New Zealand. Proceedings of the 17th GeneMappers Conference. Retrieved from https://www.genemappersconference.org Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Kennedy-Smith, H., Pettie, M., Cleland, L., Miller, A., Hitchman, L., Thornton, L., Bulik, C., Kennedy, M., & Jordan, J. (2024). New Zealand's contribution to an international eating disorders GWAS: Eating Disorders Genetics Initiative (EDGI). Proceedings of the 17th GeneMappers Conference. Retrieved from https://www.genemappersconference.org Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Graham, O., Pitcher, T., Anderson, T., Kennedy, M., Myall, D., Collins, M., & Sheat, C. (2024). GBA1 variants as modifiers of Parkinson's disease (PD) in New Zealand Parkinson's environment and gene study (NZPEGS). Proceedings of the 17th GeneMappers Conference. Retrieved from https://www.genemappersconference.org Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Ayora, I., Graham, O., Miller, A., Bozonet, S., Helem, S., & Kennedy, M. (2024). Analysis of gene expression impacts of valproate on a human induced pluripotent stem cell line using long read RNA-sequencing. Proceedings of the 17th GeneMappers Conference. Retrieved from https://www.genemappersconference.org Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Kennedy, M. A. (2024). The history and future of pharmacogenetics in Aotearoa/New Zealand. Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1080/03036758.2024.2406824 Journal - Research Other

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