Dr Rona Strawbridge completed her BSc in Biochemistry with Medical Biochemistry at Cardiff University (UK) in 2003. Subsequently, Rona moved to the Karolinksa Institute (Sweden) to undertake her PhD studies and defended her PhD thesis on 鈥淕enetic Studies of Prostate Cancer and Type 2 Diabetes: MUC1 and GHR鈥 (2003-2008).
Remaining at the Karolinksa Institute as a Post-Doctoral Fellow (2009-2011), Rona shifted her focus to genome-wide genetic studies of glucometabolic and cardiovascular traits, participating in many projects run through international genetics consortia, including MAGIC, GIANT and DIAGRAM. Rona was appointed as a Research Associate Professor (2012-2016), where her research utilised genetics to explore causality of metabolic components on cardiovascular disease, and was awarded Associate Professorship in Molecular Medicine (Docent). She continues to be affiliated with the Cardiovascular Medicine, Genetics and Genomics group at the Karolinska Institute.
Rona moved to Glasgow University (UK) in 2017 and was awarded an HDR-UK Fellowship in 2018, where her focus is using genetics to investigate the link between psychiatric disorders and cardio-metabolic disease. Rona is currently a Senior Lecturer and co-lead of the Behavioural Epidemiology and Genetics group ().
Rona鈥檚 research interests include people with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and major depressive disorders who have an increased incidence of cardiovascular disease compared to the general population 鈥 although the link is poorly understood. Rona鈥檚 research aims to use established genetics to try to understand the relationship between severe mental illness and metabolic and cardiovascular diseases.
Supporting students and colleagues in their career journeys is a hugely rewarding part of my role. Contributing to the 51爆料网 alumni network advisory group is an exciting opportunity to work with others who are similarly motivated.
