Dr Yulia Kovas  BA, MA, BSc, MSc, PhD
Researcher
Dr Kovas is a Reader and Director of InLab at Goldsmiths College; Visiting Professor at the New York University in London; Director of the Laboratory for Cognitive Investigations and Behavioural Genetics at Tomsk State University; a co-Director of the Russian-British Laboratory for Behavioural Genetics at the Russian Academy of Education; and an Honorary Researcher at the SGDP

email	contact this person
tel	0207 848 08 91
fax	0207 848 0895
address	SGDP Research Centre Institute of Psychiatry King's College, London De Crespigny Park London SE5 8AF
location	C2.06 MRC, SGDP Centre
departments	Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry (IRG) Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre (MRC)
also	Twins Early Development Study (TEDS)

biography

Dr Kovas has a BA and MA in Literature, Linguistics, and Pedagogy and teaching qualifications from the State Pedagogical University of St Petersburg. In Russia she taught children of all ages for 6 years, when she first started thinking about the origins of individual variation in learning abilities. She received a B.Sc. in Psychology from Birkbeck College in 2003, and M.Sc. in Social, Genetic, and Developmental Psychiatry from King’s College in 2004. She received her Ph.D. in 2007 from the SGDP Centre, Kings College, University of London (’Generalist Genes and Mathematics: An Interdisciplinary Investigation into the aetiology of individual differences in mathematical ability and disability).

In addition to being a Reader and Director of InLab (www.inlab.co.uk) at Goldsmiths College, she is an Honorary Researcher at the Institute of Psychiatry where she leads the mathematics research on the Twins’ Early Development Study exploring gene-environment interplay in shaping individual variation in mathematics interest, ability, and achievement.

She has published extensively on gene-environment interplay involved in variation in mathematics. Dr Kovas collaborates on research projects in China, Russia, Kyrgyzia, Canada, and U.S. to study socio-cultural factors involved in cross-cultural differences in numerical cognition and mathematical learning. This work is supported by research grants from NIH, University of London, MRC, Beijing Normal University, the British Academy, the Royal Society and the Government of the Russian Federation. In 2011 Yulia Kovas became a winner of the Mega Grant for Leading International Scientists (£3,000,000) from the Government of the Russian Federation to lead a programme of interdisciplinary cross-cultural research into individual differences in mathematical cognition and learning. Since receiving this award, she has established and the Laboratory for Cognitive Investigations and Behavioural Genetics at Tomsk State University where she directs a major international scientific research programme, including setting up the Russian School Twin Registry. Dr Kovas is also a co-director of the Russian-British Laboratory for Behavioural Genetics at the Psychological Insititue of the Russian Academy of Education.

teaching activities

Extensive teaching experience (children/adults).

Reader in Genetics and Psychology at Goldsmiths College

Visiting Professor at the New York University London

Invited lectures at the SGDP, Birkbeck College, UCL, KCL

2012- Course director of the MSc Science of Psychology, Genetics, & Education. Goldsmith College.

Supervise Undergraduate, MSc, Doctoral, and Post-Doctoral genetically-sensitive and cross-cultural research

skills

teaching, linguistics, psychology, genetics, neuroimaging

publications

Docherty, Sophia J., Kovas, Yulia and Plomin, Robert. 2011. Gene-Environment Interaction in the Etiology of Mathematical Ability Using SNP Sets. Behavior Genetics, 41(1), pp. 141-154. ISSN 0001-8244 [Article]

Haworth, C. M. A., Wright, M. J., Luciano, M., Martin, N. G., de Geus, E. J. C., van Beijsterveldt, C. E. M., Bartels, M., Posthuma, D., Boomsma, D. I., Davis, O. S. P., Kovas, Yulia, Corley, R. P., DeFries, J. C., Hewitt, J. K., Olson, R. K., Rhea, S-A, Wadsworth, S. J., Iacono, W. G., McGue, M., Thompson, L. A., Hart, S., Petrill, Stephen A, Lubinski, D and Plomin, Robert. 2010. The heritability of general cognitive ability increases linearly from childhood to young adulthood. Molecular Psychiatry, 15(11), pp. 1112-1120. ISSN 1359-4184 [Article]

Ball, Harriet A., Siribaddana, Sisira H, Sumathipala, Athula, Kovas, Yulia, Glozier, Nick, McGuffin, Peter and Hotopf, Matthew. 2010. Environmental exposures and their genetic or environmental contribution to depression and fatigue: a twin study in Sri Lanka. BMC Psychiatry, 10(1), p. 13. ISSN 1471-244X [Article]

Ball, Harriet A., Siribaddana, Sisira H., Kovas, Yulia, Glozier, Nick, McGuffin, Peter, Sumathipala, Athula and Hotopf, Matthew. 2010. Epidemiology and symptomatology of depression in Sri Lanka: A cross-sectional population-based survey in Colombo District. Journal of Affective Disorders, 123(1-3), pp. 188-196. ISSN 01650327 [Article]

Docherty, Sophia J., Kovas, Yulia, Petrill, Stephen A and Plomin, Robert. 2010. Generalist genes analysis of DNA markers associated with mathematical ability and disability reveals shared influence across ages and abilities. BMC Genetics, 11(1), p. 61. ISSN 1471-2156 [Article]

Docherty, Sophia J., Davis, O. S. P., Kovas, Yulia, Meaburn , Emma, Dale, Philip S., Petrill, Stephen A., Schalkwyk , Leonard and Plomin, Robert. 2010. A genome-wide association study identifies multiple loci associated with mathematics ability and disability. Genes, Brain and Behavior, 9(2), p. 234. ISSN 16011848 [Article]

Ball, Harriet A., Sumathipala, Athula, Siribaddana, Sisira H., Kovas, Yulia, Glozier, Nick, McGuffin, Peter and Hotopf, Matthew. 2009. Genetic and environmental contributions to depression in Sri Lanka. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 195(6), pp. 504-509. ISSN 0007-1250 [Article]

Kovas, Yulia, Doherty, Sophia, Davis, Oliver, Meaburn , Emma, Dale, Philip S., Petrill Stephen, Stephen, Schalkwyk , Leonard and Plomin , Robert. 2009. Generalist genes and mathematics: The latest quantitative and molecular genetic results from the TEDS study. Behavior Genetics, 39(6), pp. 663-664. ISSN 0001-8244 [Article]

Kovas, Yulia, Giampietro, Vincent, Viding, Essi, Ng, Virginia, Brammer, Michael, Barker, Gareth J., Happe, Francesca, Plomin, Robert and UNSPECIFIED. 2009. Brain correlates of non-symbolic numerosity estimation in low and high mathematical ability children. PLoS ONE, 4(2), e4587. ISSN 1932-6203 [Article]

Haworth, C., Kovas, Yulia, Harlaar, Nicole, Hayiou-Thomas, Marianna E., Petrill, S., Dale, Philip S. and Plomin, Robert. 2009. Generalist genes and learning disabilities: a multivariate genetic analysis of low performance in reading, mathematics, language and general cognitive ability in a sample of 8000 12-year-old twins. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 50(10), pp. 1318-1325. ISSN 00219630 [Article]

Petrill, S., Kovas, Yulia, Hart, S., Thompson, L. and Plomin, R.. 2009. The Genetic and Environmental Etiology of High Math Performance in 10-Year-Old Twins. Behavior Genetics, 39(4), pp. 371-379. ISSN 0001-8244 [Article]

Ball, Harriet A., Sumathipala, Athula, Siribaddana, Sisira H., Kovas, Yulia, Glozier, Nick, McGuffin, Peter and Hotopf, Matthew. 2009. Genetic and environmental contributions to depression in Sri Lanka. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 195(6), pp. 504-509. ISSN 0007-1250 [Article]

Greven, C., Harlaar, N., Kovas, Yulia, Chamorro-Premuzic, Tomas and Plomin, R.. 2009. More Than Just IQ: School Achievement Is Predicted by Self-Perceived Abilities-But for Genetic Rather Than Environmental Reasons. Psychological Science, 20(6), pp. 753-762. ISSN 09567976 [Article]

Siribaddana, S.H., Kovas, Yulia and Fernando, D.J.S.. 2008. Quantitative ultrasound of bone and calcium intake in suburban males in Sri Lanka. International Journal of Rheumatic Diseases, 11(4), pp. 407-413. ISSN 17561841 [Article]

Kovas, Yulia and Plomin, Robert. 2008. Genetics of learning abilities and disabilities: implications for cognitive neuroscience and translational research. In: Jonathan Reed and Jody Warner-Rogers, eds. Child neuropsychology: concepts, theory, and practice. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell, pp. 46-57. ISBN 9781405152662 [Book Section]

Siribaddana, Sisira H., Ball, Harriet A., Hewage, Suwin N, Glozier, Nick, Kovas, Yulia, Dayaratne, Dark, Sumathipala, Athula, McGuffin, Peter and Hotopf, Matthew. 2008. Colombo Twin and Singleton Study (CoTASS): A description of a population based twin study of mental disorders in Sri Lanka. BMC Psychiatry, 8(1), p. 49. ISSN 1471-244X [Article]

Davis, O. S. P., Kovas, Yulia, Harlaar, Nicole, Busfield, P., McMillan, A., Frances, J., Petrill, Stephen A., Dale, Philip S. and Plomin, Robert. 2008. Generalist genes and the Internet generation: etiology of learning abilities by web testing at age 10. Genes, Brain and Behavior, 7(4), pp. 455-462. ISSN 16011848 [Article]

Haworth, Claire M. A., Kovas, Yulia, Dale, Philip S. and Plomin, Robert. 2008. Science in elementary school: Generalist genes and school environments. Intelligence, 36(6), pp. 694-701. ISSN 01602896 [Article]

Kovas, Yulia, Dale, Philip S., Haworth, Claire M. A. and Plomin, Robert. 2007. The genetic and environmental origins of learning abilities and disabilities in the early school years. Monographs of the Society for Research in Child Development, 72(3), pp. 1-144. ISSN 15405834 [Article]

Kovas, Yulia and Plomin, Robert. 2007. Learning abilities and disabilities: generalist genes, specialist environments. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 16(5), pp. 284-288. ISSN 0963-7214 [Article]

Plomin, Robert, Kovas, Yulia and Haworth, Claire M. A.. 2007. Generalist genes: genetic links between brain, mind, and education. Mind, Brain, and Education, 1(1), pp. 11-19. ISSN 17512271 [Article]

Kovas, Yulia, Petrill, Stephen A and Plomin, Robert. 2007. The origins of diverse domains of mathematics: Generalist genes but specialist environments. Journal of Educational Psychology, 99(1), pp. 128-139. ISSN 0022-0663 [Article]

Haworth, C., Kovas, Yulia, Petrill, S. and Plomin, R.. 2007. Developmental Origins of Low Mathematics Performance and Normal Variation in Twins from 7 to 9 Years. Twin Research and Human Genetics, 10(1), pp. 106-117. ISSN 1832-4274 [Article]

Haworth, C., Harlaar, Nicole, Kovas, Yulia, Davis, O. S. P., Oliver, Bonamy, Hayiou-Thomas, Marianna E., Frances, J., Busfield, P., Mcmillan, A., Dale, Philip S. and Plomin, Robert. 2007. Internet cognitive testing of large samples needed in genetic research. TWIN RESEARCH AND HUMAN GENETICS, 10(4), pp. 554-563. ISSN 1832-4274 [Article]

Kovas, Yulia, Haworth, C., Petrill, S. and Plomin, R.. 2007. Mathematical Ability of 10-Year-Old Boys and Girls: Genetic and Environmental Etiology of Typical and Low Performance. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 40(6), pp. 554-567. ISSN 0022-2194 [Article]

Kovas, Yulia, Haworth, Claire M. A., Harlaar, Nicole, Petrill, Stephen A., Dale, Philip S. and Plomin, Robert. 2007. Overlap and specificity of genetic and environmental influences on mathematics and reading disability in 10-year-old twins. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 48(9), pp. 914-922. ISSN 0021-9630 [Article]

Kovas, Yulia. 2007. The origins of diverse domains of mathematics: Generalist genes but specialist environments. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 10(5), pp. 198-203. [Article]

Kovas, Yulia, Butcher, L. M., Harlaar, Nicole and Plomin, Robert. 2006. How general are genes for general cognitive ability? SNP- SET analyses. American Journal of Medical Genetics Part B: Neuropsychiatric Genetics, 141B(7), p. 703. ISSN 1552-4841 [Article]

Hayiou-Thomas, Marianna E., Kovas, Yulia, Haarlar, Nicole, Plomin, Robert, Bishop, Dorothy V. and Dale, Philip S.. 2006. Common aetiology for diverse language skills in 41/2-year-old twins. Journal of Child Language, 33(02), pp. 339-368. ISSN 0305-0009 [Article]

Kovas, Yulia and Plomin, R.. 2006. Generalist Genes: Implications for Cognitive Sciences. Opinion. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 10(5), pp. 198-203. ISSN 13646613 [Article]

Kovas, Yulia, Harlaar, Nicole, Petrill, Stephen A and Plomin, Robert. 2005. Generalist genes and mathematics. American Journal of Medical Genetics Part B: Neuropsychiatric Genetics, 138B(1), p. 18. ISSN 1552-4841 [Article]

Kovas, Yulia and Plomin, R.. 2005. Generalist genes and learning disabilities. Psychological Bulletin, 131(4), pp. 592-617. ISSN 00332909 [Article]

Kovas, Yulia, Hayiou-Thomas, Marianna E., Oliver, Bonamy, Dale, Philip S., Bishop, Dorothy V. and Plomin, Robert. 2005. Genetic influences in different aspects of language development: The etiology of language skills in 4.5 year-old twins. Child Development, 76(3), pp. 632-651. ISSN 00093920 [Article]

Kovas, Yulia, Harlaar, N., Petrill, S. and Plomin, R.. 2005. ‘Generalist genes’ and mathematics in 7-year-old twins. Intelligence, 33(5), p. 473. ISSN 01602896 [Article]

Kovas, Yulia, Harlaar, Nicole, Petrill, Stephen A and Plomin, Robert. 2004. Mathematics, reading and IQ: A multivariate genetic analysis in 7-year-old twins. Behavior Genetics, 34(6), p. 646. ISSN 0001-8244 [Article]

Kovas, Yulia, Haworth, C.M.A., Harlaar, Nicole, Petrill, Stephen A and Plomin, Robert. 2004. The origins of individual differences in mathematical ability. Behavior Genetics, 37(6), pp. 768-769. ISSN 0001-8244 [Article]

Oliver, Bonamy, Harlaar, Nicole, Hayiou-Thomas, Marianna E., Kovas, Yulia, Walker, S., Petrill, S., Spinath, F., Dale, Philip S. and Plomin, Robert. 2004. A Twin Study of Teacher-Reported Mathematics Performance and Low Performance in 7-Year-Olds. Journal of Educational Psychology, 96(3), p. 504. ISSN 0022-0663 [Article]

last updated: Monday, February 06, 2012