The Psychiatric and Neurodevelopmental Genetics Unit (PNGU) was founded in 2001 for the purpose of enhancing the application of genomics to the study of psychiatric and neurodevelopmental diseases. The research unit is part of Massachusetts General Hospital's Center for Human Genetic Research and Department of Psychiatry and is affiliated with Harvard Medical School.

PNGU is directed by Dr. David Pauls, a geneticist whose research over the last 30 years has focused on psychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders. In addition to Tourette Syndrome (TS), Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), he also researches autism and related disorders, and specific reading disability (dyslexia).