Genomic Psychiatry Volume 1: Issue 4

EDITORIAL

Genomic Press and the moon are Flicts: A tale of belonging and innovation 1

Julio Licinio

INNOVATORS & IDEAS: RISING STAR

Xuyu Qian: Understanding human brain development and diseases using human-based approaches 4

Xuyu Qian

INNOVATORS & IDEAS: RESEARCH LEADERS

C. Robert Cloninger: Mechanisms and conditions by which temperament, character, and personality development can regulate health and well-being 9

C. Robert Cloninger

Robin Dunbar: The neurobiology of human sociality 13

Robin Dunbar

Philippe Courtet: “Hell is other people.” How social pressure shapes suicidal thoughts 16

Philippe Courtet

Carrie Bearden: What causes the onset of

In this illuminating Genomic Press Interview, Dr. Xuyu Qian, a visionary neuroscientist whose groundbreaking spatial transcriptomics research promises to revolutionize our understanding of human brain development at unprecedented single-cell resolution, shares his remarkable path from an art-infused childhood in Nanjing to becoming a Forbes 30 Under 30 laureate and pioneering force in brain organoid technology. As the newly minted Assistant Professor at the University of Pennsylvania and Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Dr. Qian has transformed our understanding of human cerebral cortex formation through his innovative fusion of spatial transcriptomics and organoid models. His landmark work, recently published in Nature (2025), leveraged state-of-the-art MERFISH technology to analyze over 18 million single cells, thereby redefining our understanding of the emergence of cortical layers and specialized brain regions during fetal development. This breakthrough builds upon his earlier revolutionary development of brain organoid protocols, now cited over 2,000 times and instrumental in shaping CDC guidelines for the prevention of Zika virus. Throughout this candid conversation, Dr. Qian reveals how the anime series Evangelion sparked his passion for biotechnology, explores his generous collaborative philosophy that has led to numerous discoveries, and articulates his commitment to human-centric approaches for decoding neurodevelopmental disorders. His distinctive combination of scientific excellence, creative vision, and infectious enthusiasm establishes him as one of neuroscience's most promising emerging leaders, destined to unravel the fundamental mysteries of human brain development and disease.

Dr. C. Robert Cloninger's contributions have been foundational in understanding temperament, personality, and their biological and genetic underpinnings. Cloninger explored how temperament, character, and personality traits are influenced by genetic factors and how they predict various psychological disorders, such as alcoholism and personality disorders. His prospective studies involving adoptees reared apart from their biological parents provided crucial insights into the heritability and development of personality traits independent of environmental influences. Moreover, Cloninger's pioneering work in conducting the first genome-wide association and linkage studies of normal personality traits laid the groundwork for subsequent research in psychiatry and behavioral genetics, linking specific genetic profiles to patterns of temperament and personality. He is also the creator of two extensively employed personality assessment instruments: the Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire (TPQ) and the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI). Dr. Cloninger serves as Director of the Anthropedia Institute and Professor Emeritus at Washington University in St. Louis, where he studies the biopsychosocial foundations of personality that influence health and illness. The Anthropedia Institute is the research branch of the Anthropedia Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to the promotion of human well-being through initiatives in health care and education. He served as Wallace Renard Professor of Psychiatry & Genetics, Professor of Psychological and Brain Sciences, and founding Director of the Sansone Center for Well-being at Washington University until July 2019. Dr. Cloninger is a member of the National Academy of Medicine USA, Fellow of the American Academy for Advancement of Science, and an editor of various journals in psychiatry, psychology, and genetics. We are pleased to share Dr. Cloninger's answers to the Genomic Press Interview.

Robin Dunbar is an eminent evolutionary psychologist and anthropologist whose pioneering work has permanently redefined how we think about human social relationships. Dunbar, who is an emeritus Professor of Evolutionary Psychology at the University of Oxford, became world-renowned for, among other contributions, his formulation of “Dunbar's number,” a theoretical limit to the number of stable social relationships an individual can maintain, typically cited as about 150. That idea, which he developed as he studied the relationship between brain size and social group size in various primate species, has since had broad influences across areas from social media design to organizational management. Over time, Dunbar's number has become more widely known and discussed, particularly with the advent of social media and online social networks. This has led to renewed interest in its implications for digital social interactions. Dunbar's illustrious career spans multiple prestigious institutions, including, prior to joining Oxford in 2007, the University of Cambridge, the University of Stockholm (Sweden), University College London and the University of Liverpool. He is a fellow of the British Academy and the Royal Anthropological Institute, a Foreign Member of the Finnish Academy of Science and Letters, and an elected Honorary Member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. His interdisciplinary expertise is reflected in his professorships in psychology, evolutionary biology, and anthropology at institutions such as Liverpool and Oxford Universities. He has held a visiting chair in statistical physics and computer science at Aalto University, Finland, which has also awarded him an honorary doctorate. Dunbar studies the evolution of social processes in primates and humans, with work that blends neurobiology, cognitive science, and the social dynamics of how we communicate via friendship networks. His insights into friendships and community cohesion continue to shape our understanding of human social behaviour in the digital age. It is an absolute pleasure that Professor Dunbar answered the Genomic Press Interview as we celebrate the extraordinary story of his scientific odyssey with our readers.

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Table of Contents

Genomic Press and the moon are Flicts: A tale of belonging and innovation

Finding Our Place: The Flicts Story and the Heart of Genomic Press

Ziraldo: The Godfather of

Xuyu Qian: Understanding human brain development and diseases using human-based approaches

C. Robert Cloninger: Mechanisms and conditions by which temperament, character, and personality development can regulate health and well-being

Robin Dunbar: The neurobiology of human sociality

Philippe Courtet: “Hell is other people.” How social pressure shapes suicidal thoughts

Carrie Bearden: What causes the onset of psychosis in adolescence, and how can we predict (and ultimately prevent) it?

Takeo Yoshikawa: Exploring the biological underpinnings of psychiatric disorders, such as schizophrenia, through genetics and metabolic insights

Establishing validity standards for iPSC modeling of neuropsychiatric disorders

Illuminating synucleinopathies: Advances in α-synuclein PET tracer development for in vivo neuroimaging

Mood disorders polygenic scores influence clinical outcomes of major psychiatric disorders

5′LysTTT tRNA fragments support survival of botulinum-intoxicated neurons by blocking ferroptosis

Varying levels of interleukin 1 receptor antagonist (Il1rn) gene expression affect circulating leptin concentrations and fat distribution

From melancholia to molecular mechanisms: Bridging centuries of understanding depression

Shared genetic etiology between childhood cognitive function and longevity

Polygenic liability to C-reactive protein defines immunometabolic depression phenotypes and influences antidepressant therapeutic outcomes

Psychedelics and time: Exploring altered temporal perception and its implications for consciousness, neuroscience, and therapy

Exercise as metabolic medicine: Movement counters diet-induced behavioral despair via gut-brain signaling

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Table of Contents

Yogesh Dwivedi: Pre-clinical and translational research focusing on gene regulation through epigenetic and epitranscriptomic mechanisms and their implications in mood disorders and suicidal behavior

Real-world implications of the prospects for prevention of clinical Alzheimer's dementia

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