Rate My Professor Martin Kennedy

Professor Martin Kennedy holds the position of Professor and Head of the Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine at the University of Otago, Christchurch, in the Faculty of Medicine. He also directs the Carney Centre for Pharmacogenomics and the Gene Structure and Function Laboratory. Kennedy earned his BSc(Hons) from the University of Canterbury and a PhD in bacterial genetics from the University of Auckland. After completing his doctorate, he undertook postdoctoral research in leukaemia genetics at the United Kingdom's MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge. He began his career at the University of Otago, Christchurch in 1986 and returned there in 1991 following his postdoctoral work, where he has remained for nearly three decades.

Kennedy's research centers on psychiatric genetics, pharmacogenomics, and the genetics of complex diseases. His pharmacogenomics efforts aim to elucidate interactions between drugs and genes to optimize treatments and mitigate adverse reactions. This includes studying genetic variations in drug-metabolizing enzymes like CYP2D6 and CYP2C19 using next-generation sequencing techniques such as exome sequencing. His laboratory has established the UDRUGS biobank to collect samples from individuals experiencing severe adverse drug reactions. Other projects involve analyzing genetic factors in complex traits through the Christchurch Health and Development Study, investigating the genetics of anorexia nervosa, and exploring G-quadruplex DNA structures' roles in genomic imprinting and genome biology. Kennedy has authored numerous publications, including "Strom et al. (2026) Genome-wide association study of major anxiety disorders..." in Nature Genetics, "Grotzinger et al. (2026) Mapping the genetic landscape across 14 psychiatric disorders" in Nature, and "van der Laan et al. (2025) Genome-wide association meta-analysis of childhood ADHD symptoms..." in Nature Genetics. He contributes to New Zealand's science community through service on research grant panels and committees.