David Andrew Nielsen
| David Andrew Nielsen | |
|---|---|
| Born | |
| 🎓 Alma mater | University of Wisconsin–Madison (BS) University of Chicago (PhD) |
| 💼 Occupation | |
| Known for | Research on genetic and epigenetic factors in substance use disorders and other psychiatric disorders |
David Andrew Nielsen is an American neuroscientist and psychiatric geneticist whose work focuses on genetic and epigenetic mechanisms relevant to substance use disorders, including pharmacogenomics of addiction treatment, and other psychiatric disorders such as suicidal behavior.[1] He is an associate professor emeritus in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas.[1][2]
Education
Nielsen earned a BS in biochemistry from the University of Wisconsin–Madison and a PhD in biochemistry and molecular biology from the University of Chicago.[1]
Career
Nielsen has held research and faculty appointments in academic medicine and related research settings, including positions at Baylor College of Medicine and the Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center.[1][2] Baylor's public profile also lists earlier roles including work at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and research appointments associated with The Rockefeller University (Kreek laboratory).[1]
A regional academic profile describes his research as focusing on psychiatric disease genetics and epigenetics, including pharmacogenomics related to addiction treatment and risk of developing addiction.[3]
Research
Nielsen's publications include work on genetic associations relevant to suicidal behavior and serotonergic biology, including studies of tryptophan hydroxylase (TPH) genetic variation and related phenotypes.[4][5]
His later work includes empirical studies and reviews on epigenetics in addiction and related disorders. In a review article, Nielsen and colleagues discussed epigenetic modifications and their relevance to drug addiction, considering whether observed epigenetic changes represent predisposition or responses to drug exposure.[6][7]
Nielsen is also a co-author on studies of neonatal abstinence syndrome examining genetic and epigenetic variation in opioid-related pathways, including methylation in the OPRM1 promoter region and associations between opioid receptor gene variants and NAS outcomes.[8]
Selected publications
- Nielsen DA, Goldman D, Virkkunen M, et al. "Suicidality and 5-Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid Concentration Associated With a Tryptophan Hydroxylase Polymorphism." Archives of General Psychiatry (1994).[4]
- Nielsen DA, Virkkunen M, Lappalainen J, et al. "A Tryptophan Hydroxylase Gene Marker for Suicidality and Alcoholism." Archives of General Psychiatry (1998).[5]
- Nielsen DA, Utrankar A, Reyes JA, Simons DD, Kosten TR. "Epigenetics of drug abuse: predisposition or response." Pharmacogenomics (2012).[6]
- Wachman EM, Hayes MJ, Lester BM, et al. "Epigenetic variation in the mu-opioid receptor gene in infants with neonatal abstinence syndrome." The Journal of Pediatrics (2014).[8]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 "David Nielsen, Ph.D." Baylor College of Medicine. Retrieved February 2, 2026.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "DAVID NIELSEN". Profiles RNS. Retrieved February 2, 2026.
- ↑ "Nielsen, David (Faculty Profile)". Gulf Coast Consortia. Retrieved February 2, 2026.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Nielsen, David A.; Goldman, David; Virkkunen, Matti; Tokola, Risto; Rawlings, Richard; Linnoila, Markku (1994). "Suicidality and 5-Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid Concentration Associated With a Tryptophan Hydroxylase Polymorphism". Archives of General Psychiatry. 51 (1): 34–38. doi:10.1001/archpsyc.1994.03950010034005. Retrieved February 2, 2026.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Nielsen, David A.; Virkkunen, Matti; Lappalainen, Jaakko; Eggert, Monica; Brown, Gerald L.; Long, Jeffrey C.; Goldman, David; Linnoila, Markku (1998). "A Tryptophan Hydroxylase Gene Marker for Suicidality and Alcoholism". Archives of General Psychiatry. 55 (7): 593–602. doi:10.1001/archpsyc.55.7.593. Retrieved February 2, 2026.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Nielson, David A.; Utrankar, A.; Reyes, J. A.; Simons, D. D.; Kosten, Thomas R. (2012). "Epigenetics of drug abuse: predisposition or response". Pharmacogenomics. 13 (10): 1149–1160. doi:10.2217/pgs.12.94. PMC 3463407. Retrieved February 2, 2026.
- ↑ "Epigenetics of drug abuse: predisposition or response". HERO (U.S. EPA). Retrieved February 2, 2026.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Wachman, Elisha M.; Hayes, Marie J.; Lester, Barry M.; Terrin, Norma; Brown, Mark S.; Nielsen, David A.; Davis, Jonathan M. (2014). "Epigenetic variation in the mu-opioid receptor gene in infants with neonatal abstinence syndrome". The Journal of Pediatrics. 165 (3): 472–478. doi:10.1016/j.jpeds.2014.05.040. PMC 4145036. PMID 24996986. Retrieved February 2, 2026.
External links
- Faculty profile at Baylor College of Medicine
- ORCID profile
- Google Scholar profile
Category:Living people
Category:American neuroscientists
Category:Psychiatric geneticists
Category:Baylor College of Medicine faculty
Category:University of Wisconsin–Madison alumni
Category:University of Chicago alumni
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