Shirley Y Hill, PhD

Professor of Psychiatry, Human Genetics, and Psychology

Areas of Expertise

  • Substance Use Disorders
Shirley Y Hill, PhD

Expertise & Interests

Research Interests

Genetic/epigenetic influences on addiction; Genetic/epigenetic influences on brain structure

Clinical Interests

Etiology of alcohol & substance use disorders; Epigenetic regulation of genetic influences; Neuroimaging and psychiatric disorders

Education Interests

Research mentorship; Medical student education

Selected Publications

  1. Hill SY, Homanics GE, Farris SP, Baldoni PL Cross-generational transcriptomic effects of alcohol use disorder in third generation offspring. International Journal of Neuropharmacology, in Review, August 2025.
  2. Hill SY, Edenberg HJ, Corvin A, Thorgeirsson T, Below JE, Goldman D, Leal S, Almasy L, Cox NJ, Daly M, Neale B. Whole genome sequencing of pedigrees with high density of substance use and psychiatric disorders: A Meeting Report. Genes, Brain and Behavior. 2025; 24(1):e70017. https://doi.org/10.1111/gbb.70017.
  3. Bas-Hoogendam, JM, Hill SY, Pine DS, ENIGMA-Anxiety Working Group. Structural brain correlates of childhood inhibited temperament: an ENIGMA-Anxiety mega-analysis. I JAACAP, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaac.2025.06.026.
  4. Hill, SY, Hostyk J. A whole exome sequencing study to identify rare variants in multiplex families with alcohol use disorder. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 2023,14. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1216493.
  5. Rice RC, Gil DV, Baratta AM, Frawley RR, Hill SY, Farris SP, Homanics GE. Inter- and transgenerational heritability of chronic preconception stress or alcohol exposure: Translational outcomes in brain and behavior. Neurobiology of Stress, 2023;29:100603. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ynstr.2023.100603.
  6. Gosling CJ, Hill, SYCortese, S. Associations between relative age at school and persistence of ADHD in prospective studies: A meta-analyis of individual participant data.Lancet Psychiatry, 2023;10(12):922-933. https://doi.org/10.1016/s2215-0366(23)00272-9
  7. Kumar L, Hill SY, Creswell K. Social cognition and problematic alcohol use: An organizing theoretical framework and suggestions for future work. In: Psychology of Learning and Motivation. New Directions in Addiction Science, 2023. KD Federmeier and CE Fairbairn,79 (ISBN: 978-0-443-19386-6).
  8. Hill SY, Wellman JL, Zezza N, Steinhauer SR, Sharma V. Epigenetic effects on HPA axis genes: Association with cortical thickness, ERP components and SUD outcome. Behav Sci; 2022;12(10),347.
  9. Hill SY, Jones BL, Haas GL. Suicidal ideation and aggression in childhood, genetic variation and young adult depression. J of Affective Disorders, 276, 954-962, 2020. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2020.07.049
  10. Hill SY and Sharma VK. DRD2 methylation and regional grey matter volumes in young adult offspring from families at ultra-high risk for alcohol dependence. Psychiatry Res: Neuroimaging 286:31-38, 2019. doi:10.1016/j.pscychresns.2019.03.006.

Education & Credentials

Education & Training

Education
PhD, Psychology, Washington University, St. Louis

Professional Affiliations

  • Fellow, American College of Neuropsychopharmacology
  • Member, Society of Biological Psychiatry
  • Member, Research Society on Alcoholism