340.670.11 GENETIC EPIDEMIOLOGY IN POPULATIONS

This course will cover designs and methods for genetic epidemiology studies of unrelated individuals. Several population genetics concepts relevant to understanding genetic epidemiology designs and statistical tools will be introduced including concepts of quantitative and qualitative traits, genetic risk models, allele/haplotype frequency estimation, and migration/admixture. Methods for the evaluation of single and multiple genetic loci in the context of direct and indirect (linkage disequilbrium) associations with human disease will then be addressed, with examples from both genome-wide and candidate gene approaches. Methods for gene-gene and gene-environment interaction assessment will also be presented. The lecture material will be supplemented with examples using public and simulated data and currently available free software.

Understand the concept of alleles, genotypes, and the Hardy-Weinberg principle and how to estimate allele and genotype frequencies.

Understand the concept of allelic association and linkage disequilibrium and how to estimate LD measures and test for departures from equilibrium. Apply the above concepts to genetic epidemiologic studies of unrelated individuals. Understand the concept of haplotype analysis and applications of haplotypes to genetic epidemiologic studies of unrelated individuals.