Louis. She is a mathematician who trained with Dr. John Rice at Washington University in statistical genetics and psychiatric genetics. Her research program uses mathematical and statistical methods to understand human genetic variation and its contribution to complex human diseases and traits. Research areas include identifying and characterizing genetic influences on nicotine dependence, addiction, and related traits, extending genetic studies to under-studied and minority populations, developing and evaluating analytic methods, and increasing power to detect loci, e.g. through collaborative meta-analyses.