Kathryn L Lunetta, PhD
Professor
Boston University School of Public Health
Biostatistics

PhD, University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
MS, University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
BA, Grinnell College

Pronouns: she/her/hers



Kathryn L. Lunetta, Ph.D. is a Professor of Biostatistics and a statistical geneticist with more than 20 years of experience in statistics and genetics research. She has extensive experience with the design and analysis of genome- wide association studies and sequencing studies and collaborate on several large, national and international genetic epidemiology studies at Boston University and with the Framingham Heart study. Her methodological research focuses on statistical problems and study design and analysis issues in human genetics, particularly in the mapping of complex genetic diseases. Her collaborative work spans several fields, including the genetics of atrial fibrillation and related phenotypes, the genetics of healthy aging and reproduction, and Alzheimer disease. She is a member of the CHARGE (Cohorts for Heart and Aging Research) consortium and participates on the Steering and Analysis committees, and also a TOPMed investigator and analysis committee member. She is senior/primary statistician on several Alzheimer Disease related projects and for the Framingham Heart Study Atrial Fibrillation working groups, where she advises on methodology and long-term goals and provide day- to-day supervision of analyses. She is multi-PI of a Framingham Immune cell and brain aging project that seeks to identify immune cell and inflammatory biomarkers related to cognitive aging.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility

To improve DEIJ in admissions, I have worked with others to revise our admissions rubrics to be more holistic, with the goal of increasing the diversity of our student body.
In my teaching, I have worked to find new genetic data sets that are less European ancestry-centric, and revised language to reflect current/changing best practices. In my research, I have mentored one of my students to focus her research on methods to ameliorate the effects of lack of diverse representation in genetic studies on underrepresented populations through improved statistical methods, while at the same time advocating for the improved representation that is of critical importance.

Investigator
Framingham Heart Study


Member
Boston University
Genome Science Institute


Member
Boston University
Evans Center for Interdisciplinary Biomedical Research




Identification of Common Genetic Variants for Atrial Fibrillation and PR Interval
04/01/2022 - 03/31/2027 (Multi-PI)
PI: Kathryn L Lunetta, PhD
The General Hospital Corporation d/b/a Massachusetts General Hospital NIH NHLBI
5R01HL092577-17

BUSPH Interdisciplinary Training Program for Biostatisticians
07/01/2021 - 06/30/2026 (Multi-PI)
PI: Kathryn L Lunetta, PhD
NIH/National Institute of General Medical Sciences
5T32GM140972-05

Role of peripheral immune cells in cognitive aging: The Framingham Offspring Study
04/15/2020 - 03/31/2026 (Multi-PI)
PI: Kathryn L Lunetta, PhD
NIH/National Institute on Aging
5R01AG067457-05

Using Electrocardiogram Genetics to Inform Arrhythmia Risk
01/20/2022 - 12/31/2025 (Subcontract PI)
The General Hospital Corporation d/b/a Massachusetts General Hospital NIH NHLBI
5R01HL157635-04

CHARGE consortium: omics discovery for CVD and aging phenotypes
08/01/2022 - 06/30/2025 (Subcontract PI)
University of Washington NIH NHLBI
5R01HL105756-13

Winter 2018 CENTER strategically focused Atrial Fibrillation Research Network
07/01/2018 - 06/30/2024 (Multi-PI)
PI: Kathryn L Lunetta, PhD
American Heart Association


Novel Statistical Methods for Development of Polygenic Scores in Multi-Ancestry Cohorts
05/01/2022 - 04/30/2024 (Key Person / Mentor)
NIH/National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
5F31HL163952-02

Identification of Common Genetic Variants for Atrial Fibrillation and PR Interval
04/01/2018 - 03/31/2023 (Multi-PI)
PI: Kathryn L Lunetta, PhD
The General Hospital Corporation d/b/a Massachusetts General Hospital NIH NHLBI
5R01HL092577-13

CHARGE (Cohorts for Heart and Aging Research) Consortium: Gene discovery for CVD and aging phenotypes
07/15/2018 - 07/31/2022 (Subcontract PI)
University of Washington NIH NHLBI
5R01HL105756-10

Genetics and Epigenetics of Atrial Fibrillation
07/01/2018 - 06/30/2022 (Subcontract PI)
The General Hospital Corporation d/b/a Massachusetts General Hospital American Heart Assoc


Showing 10 of 17 results. Show All Results


Title


Yr Title Project-Sub Proj Pubs
2025 BUSPH Interdisciplinary Training Program for Biostatisticians 5T32GM140972-05
2025 IDENTIFICATION OF COMMON GENETIC VARIANTS FOR ATRIAL FIBRILLATION AND PR INTERVAL 5R01HL092577-17
2024 BUSPH Interdisciplinary Training Program for Biostatisticians 5T32GM140972-04
2024 Role of Peripheral Immune Cells in Cognitive Aging: The Framingham Offspring Study 5R01AG067457-05
2024 IDENTIFICATION OF COMMON GENETIC VARIANTS FOR ATRIAL FIBRILLATION AND PR INTERVAL 5R01HL092577-16
2023 BUSPH Interdisciplinary Training Program for Biostatisticians 5T32GM140972-03
2023 Role of Peripheral Immune Cells in Cognitive Aging: The Framingham Offspring Study 5R01AG067457-04
2023 IDENTIFICATION OF COMMON GENETIC VARIANTS FOR ATRIAL FIBRILLATION AND PR INTERVAL 5R01HL092577-15
2022 BUSPH Interdisciplinary Training Program for Biostatisticians 5T32GM140972-02
2022 Role of Peripheral Immune Cells in Cognitive Aging: The Framingham Offspring Study 5R01AG067457-03
Showing 10 of 30 results. Show All Results

Publications listed below are automatically derived from MEDLINE/PubMed and other sources, which might result in incorrect or missing publications. Faculty can login to make corrections and additions.

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  1. Khurshid Z, Farrell JJ, Tong T, Zhu C, Martin ER, Bush W, Pericak-Vance MA, Wang LS, Schellenberg G, Haines JL, Lunetta KL, Leung YY, Zhang X, Farrer LA. Multi-ancestry exome-wide study identifies variants associated with Alzheimer's disease protection. J Alzheimers Dis. 2025 Dec 22; 13872877251405497. PMID: 41428483; DOI: 10.1177/13872877251405497;
     
  2. Khurshid Z, Tong T, Olayinka O, Farrell JJ, Zhu C, Martin ER, Bush W, Pericak-Vance MA, Wang LS, Schellenberg GC, Haines JL, Lunetta KL, Zhang X, Farrer LA. Interactive Effects of Telomere Length and Genetic Variants on Alzheimer Disease Risk Across Multiple Ancestral Populations. medRxiv. 2025 Dec 17. PMID: 41445639; PMCID: PMC12723739; DOI: 10.64898/2025.12.15.25342309;
     
  3. Iyer S, Cao Y, Liebegott R, Chen J, Ragab A, Doyle MF, Lunetta KL, Murabito JM. Association of circulating immune cell phenotypes and peripheral inflammatory biomarkers with depressive symptoms in the Framingham Heart Study. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2026 Feb; 184:107716. PMID: 41349492; DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2025.107716;
     
  4. Dacey R, Hou L, Gurnani A, Han X, Paller-Moore MR, Chung J, Durape S, Rosenthaler M, Uretsky M, Abdolmohammadi B, Lee AJ, Brickman AM, Hohman TJ, Cuccaro ML, Bennett DA, Crane PK, Kamboh MI, Kukull WA, Jun G, Stein TD, McKee AC, Haines JL, Pericak-Vance MA, Wang LS, Schellenberg GD, Mayeux R, Lunetta KL, Farrer LA, Mez J. Alzheimer's disease multi-ancestry genome-wide interaction and stratified study with smoking. Alzheimers Dement. 2025 Nov; 21(11):e70922. PMID: 41268768; PMCID: PMC12635870; DOI: 10.1002/alz.70922;
     
  5. Huffman JE, Gaziano L, Al Sayed ZR, Judy RL, Raffield LM, Biddinger KJ, Charest B, Chopra A, Gagnon D, Guo X, Koledova V, Levin MG, Min YI, Pirruccello JP, Reza N, Ruan R, Verma SS, Venkatesh BA, Verma A, Yao J, Carr JJ, Casas JP, Cho K, Lima JAC, Post WS, Rader DJ, Ritchie MD, Shah A, Taylor KD, Terry JG, Rich SS, O'Donnell CJ, Phillips LS, Lunetta KL, Rotter JI, Wilson PWF, Gaziano JM, Damrauer SM, Sun YV, Ellinor PT, Joseph J, Aragam KG. An African ancestry-specific nonsense variant in CD36 is associated with a higher risk of dilated cardiomyopathy. Nat Genet. 2025 Nov; 57(11):2682-2690. PMID: 41174181; PMCID: PMC12597818; DOI: 10.1038/s41588-025-02372-2;
     
  6. Rotti L, Murabito JM, Chen J, Cao Y, Ragab AAY, Liu C, Wang M, Doyle MF, Lunetta KL. Immune cells and inflammatory proteins are differentially associated with subsequent DNA methylation biological aging measures in the Framingham Heart Study Offspring Cohort. Geroscience. 2025 Oct 02.View Related Profiles. PMID: 41039184; DOI: 10.1007/s11357-025-01883-4;
     
  7. Kurniansyah N, Tasaki S, Rehman H, Zhu C, Farrell J, Sherva R, Hauger R, Merritt VC, Panizzon M, Zhang R, Gaziano JM, Gim J, Lee K, Lee DY, Nho K, Vialle RA, Mukherjee S, Trittschuh EH, Lee AJ, Brickman AM, Cruchaga C, Risacher S, Greve DN, Crane P, Martin E, Bush W, Mayeux R, Haines JL, Pericak-Vance MA, Logue M, Bennett DA, Barnes LL, Saykin A, Hohman T, Wang LS, Schellenberg GC, Ang TFA, Au R, Mez J, Lunetta KL, Zhang X, Farrer LA. A multi-ancestry polygenic risk score for Alzheimer disease is associated with cognitive decline, hippocampal atrophy and neuropathological hallmarks in diverse populations. medRxiv. 2025 Sep 27.View Related Profiles. PMID: 41040715; PMCID: PMC12486013; DOI: 10.1101/2025.09.24.25336555;
     
  8. Kang M, Ang TFA, Devine SA, Sherva R, Mukherjee S, Trittschuh EH, Scollard P, Lee M, Choi SE, Klinedinst B, Nakano C, Dumitrescu LC, Hohman TJ, Cuccaro ML, Saykin AJ, Kukull WA, Bennett DA, Wang LS, Mayeux RP, Haines JL, Pericak-Vance MA, Schellenberg GD, Crane PK, Au R, Lunetta KL, Mez J, Farrer LA. Genome-wide pleiotropy analysis of longitudinal blood pressure and harmonized cognitive performance measures. Alzheimers Dement. 2025 Sep; 21(9):e70681.View Related Profiles. PMID: 40951946; PMCID: PMC12434708; DOI: 10.1002/alz.70681;
     
  9. Huang J, Wang Y, Stein TD, Ang TFA, Zhu Y, Tao Q, Lunetta KL, Mez J, Au R, Farrer LA, Qiu WQ, Zhang X. The impact of blood MCP-1 levels on Alzheimer's disease with genetic variation at the NAV3 and UNC5C loci. Transl Psychiatry. 2025 Aug 19; 15(1):296.View Related Profiles. PMID: 40830334; PMCID: PMC12365253; DOI: 10.1038/s41398-025-03542-w;
     
  10. Ragab AAY, Doyle MF, Chen J, Lunetta KL, Murabito JM. Alcohol consumption and immune cell profiles: Insights from the Framingham Heart Study. Alcohol Clin Exp Res (Hoboken). 2025 Sep; 49(9):1953-1961.View Related Profiles. PMID: 40728111; DOI: 10.1111/acer.70122;
     
Showing 10 of 345 results. Show More

This graph shows the total number of publications by year, by first, middle/unknown, or last author.

Bar chart showing 345 publications over 33 distinct years, with a maximum of 27 publications in 2017

YearPublications
19911
19922
19941
19953
19963
19972
19982
19993
20005
20015
20021
20041
20054
20062
20079
20089
200911
201012
201116
201214
201317
201418
201517
201622
201727
201816
201919
20209
202119
202218
202319
202417
202521

In addition to these self-described keywords below, a list of MeSH based concepts is available here.

Statistical genetics
Genetic Epidemiology
Healthy Aging
Atrial Fibrillation
Alzheimer's Disease
Contact for Mentoring:

801 Massachusetts Ave Crosstown Center
Boston MA 02118
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