Minnesota Center for Twin and Family Research: Tracking Psychological Development for 35 Years
Photo by Adam Dunne CLA student
In 1987, Dr. Matt McGue, professor of the UMN Department of Psychology, along with his colleagues, set out to explore the possibility that there might be a genetic component in the development of substance dependence. Does it come from being exposed to substances from people they know or from places and situations in which they find themselves?
After McGue and his colleagues, David Lykken and William Iacono, secured a grant from the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA) for their study, the next question became: How does one study this ever-trending, widely debated topic of “nature vs. nurture” in science?
Twins.
The grant laid the groundwork for what is now the Minnesota Center for Twin and Family Research (MCTFR). Starting with 666 (which is “an odd number,” McGue recognizes) pairs of male twins for this initial drug abuse study, the center has since grown to include over 10,000 twins and their parents over the last 35 years.
Postdoctoral Traineeship in Genetic and Neurobehavioral Mechanisms of Addiction, its Risk Factors and Consequences
The UMN Department of Psychology seeks postdoctoral fellows interested in conducting innovative multidisciplinary research in domains including psychology, genetics, statistics, and other quantitative methods, and/or human neuroscience. Fellows are supported by a T32 training grant funded by the National Institutes of Health’s National Institute on Drug Abuse. The purpose of the training program is to provide research and training opportunities to encourage the development of multidisciplinary skills within or across the above domains as they relate to drug use, addiction, psychopathology, and behavior. Multiple positions are available with start dates after July 1, 2026. Applications are considered on a rolling basis. Refer to this posting for more information and details on how to apply.