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Robert Plomin

Professor Robert Plomin PhD

Professor of Behavioural Genetics

Biography

Robert Plomin is MRC Research Professor in Behavioural Genetics at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London. In 1994 after positions in the US at the University of Colorado and Pennsylvania State University, he came to the Institute to help Professor Sir Michael Rutter launch the Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Research Centre. The goal of the Centre is to bring together genetic and environmental strategies to understand individual differences in behavioural development, which characterises his research.  

In 1995, Professor Plomin began the Twins Early Development Study (TEDS), which has followed 10,000 pairs of UK twins from infancy through early adulthood and has been continuously funded for 25 years as a programme grant from the Medical Research Council. He has published more than 800 papers and is the author of the best-selling textbook in the field as well as a dozen other books. His most recent book is Blueprint: How DNA Makes Us Who We Are (Allen Lane, October 2018; paperback by Penguin, June 2019). Blueprint describes how the DNA revolution is transforming science, society and the way we think about ourselves.  

Professor Plomin has been elected the youngest President of the international Behavior Genetics Association and has received lifetime research achievement awards from the major associations related to his field (Behavior Genetics Association, Association of Psychological Science, Society for Research in Child Development, International Society for Intelligence Research), as well as being made Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, British Academy, American Academy of Political and Social Science, and Academy of Medical Sciences (UK).  

  • Research interests
  • Quantitative genetic and genomic approaches to disentangle genetic and environmental influences in behavioural development 
  • Cognitive development 
  • Educational achievement  

Research groups

  • Director of the Twins Early Development Study

    Research

    TEDS logo - 780 x 440px
    TEDS: Twins Early Development Study

    The Twin Early Development Study (TEDS) is one of the leading large-scale twin studies in the world. Starting in 1994, it has followed twins born in England and Wales throughout their childhood and adolescence and has now continued into early adulthood.

    News

    IoPPN Staff recognised in New Year Honours

    Three colleagues at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) have been recognised in the 2023 New Year Honours List.

    New Year Honours Graphic

    New Year Honours for King's community

    King's academics, teaching staff and alumni have been recognised in the 2023 New Year Honours List.

    New Year Honours 2023

    Young adult mental health largely resilient following introduction of lockdown

    New research from the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) at King’s College London and the Department of Psychology, at Royal Holloway,...

    A ‘perfect storm’ of factors increased the risk of COVID-19 in young adults following first lockdown, says new study

    Twins Early Development Study receives £3.2million funding from MRC

    Successful grant renewal from Medical Research Council (MRC) will fund pioneering Twin Early Development Study until 2025.

    TEDS logo - 780 x 440px

    Professor Robert Plomin receives BPS Lifetime Achievement Award

    Congratulations to Professor Plomin on receiving the British Psychological Society’s (BPS) 2020 Lifetime Achievement Award.

    Professor Robert Plomin

    Events

    24AprA Geneticist's Guide to the Galaxy of Mental Health (1)

    Professor Gerome Breen - Inaugural Lecture

    Join us in celebrating Professor Gerome Breen's inaugural lecture on 'A Geneticist’s Guide to the Galaxy of Mental Health.'

    Please note: this event has passed.

    Features

    Brainwaves podcast series

    Brainwaves is a podcast series exploring and explaining the latest in mental health and neurosciences research at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology &...

    hero image - brainwaves

      Research

      TEDS logo - 780 x 440px
      TEDS: Twins Early Development Study

      The Twin Early Development Study (TEDS) is one of the leading large-scale twin studies in the world. Starting in 1994, it has followed twins born in England and Wales throughout their childhood and adolescence and has now continued into early adulthood.

      News

      IoPPN Staff recognised in New Year Honours

      Three colleagues at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) have been recognised in the 2023 New Year Honours List.

      New Year Honours Graphic

      New Year Honours for King's community

      King's academics, teaching staff and alumni have been recognised in the 2023 New Year Honours List.

      New Year Honours 2023

      Young adult mental health largely resilient following introduction of lockdown

      New research from the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) at King’s College London and the Department of Psychology, at Royal Holloway,...

      A ‘perfect storm’ of factors increased the risk of COVID-19 in young adults following first lockdown, says new study

      Twins Early Development Study receives £3.2million funding from MRC

      Successful grant renewal from Medical Research Council (MRC) will fund pioneering Twin Early Development Study until 2025.

      TEDS logo - 780 x 440px

      Professor Robert Plomin receives BPS Lifetime Achievement Award

      Congratulations to Professor Plomin on receiving the British Psychological Society’s (BPS) 2020 Lifetime Achievement Award.

      Professor Robert Plomin

      Events

      24AprA Geneticist's Guide to the Galaxy of Mental Health (1)

      Professor Gerome Breen - Inaugural Lecture

      Join us in celebrating Professor Gerome Breen's inaugural lecture on 'A Geneticist’s Guide to the Galaxy of Mental Health.'

      Please note: this event has passed.

      Features

      Brainwaves podcast series

      Brainwaves is a podcast series exploring and explaining the latest in mental health and neurosciences research at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology &...

      hero image - brainwaves