Elemi Breetvelt

Dr. Elemi Breetvelt was trained as a child and adolescent psychiatrist and epidemiologist, and received his PhD at the University of Utrecht in the Netherlands. His clinical expertise is into developmental disorders and early onset schizophrenia, in particular in the context of genetic risk variants, like the 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome. His research focusses on developing new genetic prediction models for severe mental health issues and functional outcome.

Education and experience

• 2019: Clinical and Research Fellow, 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome, Neuroscience and Epidemiology, Toronto General Hospital, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
• 2017–2018: Clinical and Research Fellow, 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome, Neuroscience and Epidemiology, Toronto General Hospital, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
• 2006–2013: PhD, Genetic Epidemiology, Rudolph Magnus Institute for Neuroscience and Julius Center, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands
• 2008–2010: Clinical Fellow, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, University of Utrecht, Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands
• 2007–2009: M.Sc., Clinical Epidemiology, Julius Center, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht the Netherlands
• 2001–2003: MD, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Zuid- Holland, the Netherlands

Achievements

• 2020: Academic Scholar Award (ASA), University of Toronto, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Research Award)
• 2019: O’Brien Scholarship in Child and Youth Mental Health Research, University of Toronto, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Research Award)
• 2018: Fellow Research Award 2017-2018, Centre for Mental Health UHN, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Research Award)

1. Vorstman JA, Breetvelt EJ, Duijff SN, Schneider M, Jalbrzikowski M, Armando M, Vicari S, Shashi V, Hooper SR, Chow EW, Fung WL, Butcher NJ, Young DA, Mcdonald-McGrinn DM, Vogels A, van Amelsvoort T, Gothelf D, Weinberger R, Weizman A, Klaassen PW, Koops S, Kates WR, Antshel KM, Simon TJ, Ousley OY, Swillen A, Gur RE, Bearden CE, Kahn RS, Bassett AS. International Consortium on Brain and Behaviour in 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome. Cognitive decline preceding the onset of psychosis in patients with 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome. JAMA Psychiatry. 2015 Apr;72(4):377-85. Shared First Author. 
2. Breetvelt EJ, Smit KC, van Setten J, Merico D, Boks MPM, Vaartjes I, Bassett AS, Kahn RS, Vorstman JAS. Burden of rare coding variants in the 22q11.2 deletion syndrome region is associated with educational attainment and schizophrenia risk. Molecular Psychiatry, Under Review. First Author. 
3. Vorstman JA, Breetvelt EJ, Thode KI, Chow EW, Bassett AS. Expression of autism spectrum and schizophrenia in patients with a 22q11.2 deletion. Schizophr Res. 2013 Jan;143(1):55-9. Co-Author. 
4. Fiksinski AM, Breetvelt EJ, Lee YJ, Boot E, Butcher N, Palmer L, Chow EWC, Kahn RS, Vorstman JAS, Bassett AS. Neurocognition and adaptive functioning in a genetic high risk model of schizophrenia. Psychol Med. 2018 Aug 1:1-8. Epub ahead of print. Co-Author.