Randy L. Buckner
· Interim Department Chair Sosland Family Professor of Psychology and of NeuroscienceHarvard University · Human Development and Psychology
Active 1993–2026
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About
Randy L. Buckner is the Sosland Family Professor of Psychology and of Neuroscience at Harvard University. He is affiliated with the Center for Brain Science and serves as the Director of the Psychiatric Neuroimaging Research Division at Massachusetts General Hospital. His professional roles highlight his leadership in the fields of psychology, neuroscience, and psychiatric neuroimaging, integrating research and clinical applications at a leading academic and medical institution.
Research topics
- Psychology
- Neuroscience
- Genetics
- Medicine
- Biology
- Psychiatry
- Computer Science
- Evolutionary biology
- Clinical psychology
- Cognitive psychology
Selected publications
Mapping genomic loci implicates genes and synaptic biology in schizophrenia
Nature · 2022 · 2693 citations
, much of which is attributable to common risk alleles. Here, in a two-stage genome-wide association study of up to 76,755 individuals with schizophrenia and 243,649 control individuals, we report common variant associations at 287 distinct genomic loci. Associations were concentrated in genes that are expressed in excitatory and inhibitory neurons of the central nervous system, but not in other tissues or cell types. Using fine-mapping and functional genomic data, we identify 120 genes (106 pro…
The genetic architecture of the human cerebral cortex
Science · 2020 · 871 citations
The cerebral cortex underlies our complex cognitive capabilities, yet little is known about the specific genetic loci that influence human cortical structure. To identify genetic variants that affect cortical structure, we conducted a genome-wide association meta-analysis of brain magnetic resonance imaging data from 51,665 individuals. We analyzed the surface area and average thickness of the whole cortex and 34 regions with known functional specializations. We identified 199 significant loci a…
Cortical thickness across the lifespan: Data from 17,075 healthy individuals aged 3–90 years
Human Brain Mapping · 2021 · 289 citations
Delineating the association of age and cortical thickness in healthy individuals is critical given the association of cortical thickness with cognition and behavior. Previous research has shown that robust estimates of the association between age and brain morphometry require large-scale studies. In response, we used cross-sectional data from 17,075 individuals aged 3-90 years from the Enhancing Neuroimaging Genetics through Meta-Analysis (ENIGMA) Consortium to infer age-related changes in corti…
Biological Psychiatry · 2021 · 202 citations
BACKGROUND: Polygenic scores (PGSs), which assess the genetic risk of individuals for a disease, are calculated as a weighted count of risk alleles identified in genome-wide association studies. PGS methods differ in which DNA variants are included and the weights assigned to them; some require an independent tuning sample to help inform these choices. PGSs are evaluated in independent target cohorts with known disease status. Variability between target cohorts is observed in applications to rea…
Subcortical volumes across the lifespan: Data from 18,605 healthy individuals aged 3–90 years
Human Brain Mapping · 2021 · 161 citations
Age has a major effect on brain volume. However, the normative studies available are constrained by small sample sizes, restricted age coverage and significant methodological variability. These limitations introduce inconsistencies and may obscure or distort the lifespan trajectories of brain morphometry. In response, we capitalized on the resources of the Enhancing Neuroimaging Genetics through Meta-Analysis (ENIGMA) Consortium to examine age-related trajectories inferred from cross-sectional m…
Recent grants
NIH · $2.7M · 2015
NIH · $17.1M · 2022
NIH · $600k · 2016
Frequent coauthors
- 312 shared
Reisa A. Sperling
Harvard University
- 291 shared
Jordan W. Smoller
Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research
- 252 shared
Avram J. Holmes
Rutgers Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights
- 234 shared
Bruce Fischl
Harvard University
- 194 shared
Joshua L. Roffman
Harvard University
- 153 shared
Sven Cichon
University Hospital of Basel
- 153 shared
Benedicto Crespo‐Facorro
Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental
- 147 shared
Mert R. Sabuncu
Labs
The Buckner Lab at Harvard University focuses on psychiatric neuroimaging research.
Education
- 1993
Ph.D., Psychology
Harvard University
- 1988
B.A., Psychology
University of California, Berkeley
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