Michael C. O'Donovan

{{Short description|Scottish psychiatric geneticist}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}

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| nationality = Scottish

| fields = Psychiatric genetics

| workplaces = Cardiff University School of Medicine

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| education = Glasgow University
University of Wales{{Cite journal |last1=Owen |first1=Michael |author-link=Michael Owen (neurologist) |last2=O'Donovan |first2=Michael |date=2005-10-01 |title=Genetics of schizophrenia |journal=Psychiatry |language=en |volume=4 |issue=10 |pages=14–17 |doi=10.1383/psyt.2005.4.10.14 |pmid=20008600 |issn=1476-1793|pmc=2793225 }}

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| known_for = Research on schizophrenia

| awards = (with Michael Owen) Lieber Prize for Outstanding Achievement in Schizophrenia Research from the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation (2012){{Cite web |url=https://www.bbrfoundation.org/grants-prizes/prizes-awards/past-outstanding-achievement-prizewinners |title=Past Outstanding Achievement Prizewinners |date=2017-04-11 |website=Brain & Behavior Research Foundation |language=en |access-date=2018-12-14}}

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Michael C. O'Donovan is a Scottish psychiatric geneticist who researches the genetics of schizophrenia.{{Cite news |url=https://www.thenational.scot/news/14897995.scots-gene-expert-at-forefront-of-fight-to-understand-causes-of-schizophrenia/ |title=Scots gene expert at forefront of fight to understand causes of schizophrenia |last=Burns |first=Janice |date=2015-06-03 |work=The National |access-date=2018-12-14 |language=en}} He is a clinical professor in the Division of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences and the deputy director of the MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics at the Cardiff University School of Medicine in Cardiff, Wales. He also leads the Schizophrenia Group of the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium.{{Cite journal |last=O’Donovan |first=Michael |date=2015-08-05 |title=Novel genetic advances in schizophrenia: an interview with Michael O'Donovan |journal=BMC Medicine |volume=13 |issue=1 |pages=181 |doi=10.1186/s12916-015-0417-1 |issn=1741-7015 |pmc=4526195 |pmid=26242973 |doi-access=free }}{{cite web |title=Workgroup Chairs |url=https://www.med.unc.edu/pgc/about-us/people/workgroup-chairs/#scz |website=Psychiatric Genomics Consortium}} Educated at Glasgow University, he also serves as Academic Psychiatry Lead for the Royal College of Psychiatrists in Wales.{{Cite web |url=https://www.ncmh.info/investigators/professor-michael-odonovan/ |title=Professor Mick O'Donovan |website=National Centre for Mental Health |language=en |access-date=2018-12-14}} He was lead author of a 2014 study in Nature which identified over 100 genetic loci associated with an increased risk of schizophrenia.{{Cite journal |last1=O’Donovan |first1=Michael C. |last2=Sullivan |first2=Patrick F. |author-link2=Patrick F. Sullivan |last3=Daly |first3=Mark J. |author-link3=Mark Daly (scientist) |last4=Werge |first4=Thomas |last5=Wendland |first5=Jens R. |last6=Weinberger |first6=Daniel R. |author-link6=Daniel Weinberger |last7=Clair |first7=David St |last8=Sklar |first8=Pamela |author-link8=Pamela Sklar |last9=Sham |first9=Pak C. |author-link9=Pak Sham |date=July 2014 |title=Biological insights from 108 schizophrenia-associated genetic loci |journal=Nature |language=en |volume=511 |issue=7510 |pages=421–427 |doi=10.1038/nature13595 |issn=1476-4687 |pmc=4112379 |pmid=25056061|bibcode=2014Natur.511..421S }} The study, the largest of its kind undertaken at the time, was covered extensively in the media.{{Cite news |url=http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/professor-michael-odonovan-leads-global-7505482 |title=Welsh scientist leading global research into schizophrenia speaks of hopes for the millions affected by the illness |last=McCarthy |first=James |date=2014-07-27 |work=Media Wales |access-date=2018-12-14}}{{Cite news |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/av/uk-wales-28408177/schizophrenia-study-reveals-new-clues-to-illness-cause |title=New clues to schizophrenia cause |date=2014-07-22 |work=BBC News |access-date=2018-12-14 |language=en}} It was also praised by Thomas Insel, the then-director of the National Institute of Mental Health, who described the study as "a big step forward".{{Cite news |url=https://www.news-herald.com/news/genetic-mapping-triggers-new-hope-on-schizophrenia/article_fe25b502-818b-5e8d-bf16-cc7e8b32f089.html |title=Genetic mapping triggers new hope on schizophrenia |last=Borenstein |first=Seth |date=2014-07-22 |work=The News-Herald |access-date=2018-12-14 |language=en}}