
Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, UBC
Translational Psychiatry Division
Researcher, Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute Head
Director, BC Mental Health and Substance Use Services’ Research Institute
Canada Research Chair in Translational Psychiatric Genomics
Contact
Email: jehannine.austin@ubc.ca
Short Biography
Dr. Jehannine Austin is the Executive director of the BC Mental Health and Substance Use Services Research Institute and Professor in Psychiatry & Medical Genetics. Dr. Austin is a board-certified genetic counselor and their research work involves studying the impact of genetic counseling for people with psychiatric disorders and their families. Dr. Austin heads the Translational Psychiatric Genetics Group which includes the world’s first specialist psychiatric genetic counselling service. Dr. Austin member of the College of the Royal Society of Canada, and a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences.
Research Focus
Dr. Austin’s work aims to make psychiatric genetics relevant to people with mental illness and their families by developing new counseling-based and biologically-based treatments.
Publications
How to Talk with Families About Genetics and Psychiatric Illness, Holly Landrum Peay & Jehannine Claire Austin, W.W. Norton & Company, New York, 2011