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Contact Details

Phone
+64 3 364 0590
Email
martin.kennedy@otago.ac.nz

University Links

Position
Professor and Head of Department
Department
Department of Pathology and Biomedical Science (Christchurch)
Qualifications
BSc (Cant) PhD (Auck)
Research summary
Genetics of human disease

Research

Director of the Carney Centre for Pharmacogenomics and the Gene Structure and Function Lab, Martin's main research interests are psychiatric genetics, pharmacogenomics, and the genetics of complex disease.

His current research largely focuses on pharmacogenomics, which aims to understand how drugs and genes interact with the goal of improving drug treatments and reducing adverse drug reactions. For example, analysis of genetic variation in genes such as those that encode drug metabolising liver enzymes like CYP2D6 and CYP2C19, is helping to determine genetic factors that impact on response to treatments for various diseases.

For a more comprehensive analysis of genetic factors impacting drug response or risks of adverse drug reactions, they are also applying Next Generation DNA sequencing methods including exome sequencing and other genomic approaches to explore drug response phenotypes.

In order to understand severe adverse drug reactions, his lab has developed a biobank for collecting biological samples of people who have suffered such reactions, called UDRUGS. This biobank is growing, and will enhance efforts to understand genetic factors that contribute to severe adverse drug reactions.

Other research interests include work with the Christchurch Health and Development Study looking at genetic contributions to a range of complex human traits, and a study focusing on the genetics of anorexia nervosa. In addition, Martin's laboratory is examining the impact of G-quadruplex DNA structures and their relevance to genomic imprinting and other aspects of genome biology.

Publications

Stevens, A. J., Kennedy, M. A., Doudney, K., Kidd, M. J. A., & Rucklidge, J. J. (2025). Potential link between copy number variation and abnormal genome wide DNA methylation profile in an individual with severe ADHD and a strong response to micronutrient treatment. Psychiatry Research Case Reports. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1016/j.psycr.2025.100254 Journal - Research Article

Hitchman, L. M., Magon, N. J., Miller, A. L., Sheen, C. R., Dunn, E., Bozonet, S. M., Pearson, J. F., … Faatoese, A., Merriman, T. R., Kettle, A. J., & Kennedy, M. A. (2025). CYP2D6*71 is a poor metaboliser allele common in Polynesian and Māori people and absent from Europeans. Proceedings of the Genetics Otago (GO) Annual Symposium. Retrieved from https://blogs.otago.ac.nz/go Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Pitcher, T. L., Collins, M. F., Sheat, C., Simpson, M., Douwes, J., Noyce, A., Kennedy, M., Anderson, T. J., & Myall, D. J. (2024). The New Zealand Parkinson’s Environment and Genes Study (NZPEGS). In K.-L. Horne (Ed.), Proceedings of the 40th International Australasian Winter Conference on Brain Research (AWCBR). (pp. 29). Retrieved from https://www.awcbr.org Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Berthold, N., Gaudieri, S., Hood, S., Tschochner, M., Miller, A. L., Jordan, J., … Kennedy, M. A. (2024). Nanopore sequencing as a novel method of characterising anorexia nervosa risk loci. BMC Genomics, 25, 1262. doi: 10.1186/s12864-024-11172-7 Journal - Research Article

Lawson, R., Watterson, R., Kennedy, M. A., Bulik, C. M., & Jordan, J. (2024). Time taken to reach treatment for eating disorders in New Zealand. Australasian Psychiatry. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1177/10398562241298082 Journal - Research Article

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