Depression in young adulthood has a stronger hereditary component and is associated with a higher risk of suicide attempts than depression that begins later in life, according to a new study published in Nature Genetics by researchers at Karolinska Institutet, among others.

A new Nordic study was the first to investigate the impact of genetic and social factors in shaping educational pathways. The study showed that genes have a small but clearly detectable influence on the choice of field of study.

FinnGen is proud to welcome Alnylam Pharmaceuticals as its newest industry partner. As the 15th pharmaceutical company to join the public-private partnership, Alnylam brings world-leading expertise in RNA interference (RNAi) therapeutics to the consortium, further enriching the scientific and translational potential of the FinnGen study.

Results based on the FinnGen data are presented in almost 40 talks or posters during the 2025 Annual Meeting of the American Society of Human Genetics (ASHG) in Boston, October 14-18. We also have a booth so this is a great opportunity to come and meet us!

A new study has identified genetic variants linked to brain function, immune defence and metabolism that contribute to the development of frailty in older people. The study, published in Nature Aging by researchers from Tampere University & Karolinska Institutet, provides new biological insights into the onset of frailty.

Join us on September 4, 2025, for an interactive event to explore the future of the Finnish health data ecosystem, current opportunities in research collaboration and the potential to accelerate R&D between the public and private sectors.

An international study on long Covid, led by the University of Helsinki and drawing on data from more than one million individuals, has pinpointed a genetic factor that predisposes people to prolonged post-coronavirus symptoms such as debilitating fatigue, persistent cough, “brain fog” and blood pressure fluctuations.

Found in the Finnish population, a rare variant of the TYROBP gene significantly increases the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, a new study led by the University of Eastern Finland shows. This gene variant affects the function of microglia, the cells which regulate inflammation in the brain. The findings further confirm the role of altered inflammatory response and protein stress response in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease.

Researchers have shown for the first time that genetic predisposition to sedentary behaviour is associated with a higher risk of developing the most common cardiovascular diseases. A high genetic predisposition to sedentary behaviour can increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases by up to 20%.

The thesis of MSc Jonna Clancy is the first single biobank-focused doctoral dissertation in Finland. The work was conducted in the Blood Service Biobank utilizing the genome data from FinnGen. Warm congratulations!