Dr Olivia Wootton

Postdoctoral Fellow

Olivia’s research explores the interplay between genetic variation, both common and rare, and environmental factors, and how this interaction influences phenotypic presentations in rare neurodevelopmental conditions.

I started my postdoc at the Sanger Institute with Hilary Martin in January 2024. The current focus of my work is to investigate the impact of genetic confounding on established epidemiological associations with premature birth using data from the Deciphering Developmental Disorders Study and Genomics England.

Prior to joining the Sanger Institute, I pursued a PhD in Psychiatric Genetics at the University of Cape Town, South Africa. My PhD thesis focused on the contribution of common genetic variation to cognitive impairment in the general population as well as in people with schizophrenia. I was particularly interested in using novel and previously under-researched metrics of cognitive performance to explore this research question, focusing on measures such as reaction time variability and genetically determined cognitive factors.

My timeline

• Started as Postdoctoral Fellow, Wellcome Sanger Institute

• Started PhD, University of Cape Town, South Africa

• Junior Doctor, South Africa

• Started MBChB (MD), University of Cape Town, South Africa