Can environment modify genetic effects on human anthropometric traits?

Revision as of 11:15, 22 February 2011 by Zoltan (talk | contribs)

Background: Large studies (including hundreds of thousands of individuals) identified genetic factors influencing human height, body-mass-index (BMI) and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR). It is currently unknown whether the effect of the discovered genetic variants are modified by environmental factors.

Goal: The goal of this project is to use the Cohorte Lausannois (CoLaus) data to find environmental factors (e.g. smoking, alcohol consumption, physical activity) that modify genetic effects influencing human height, BMI, WHR.

Mathematical tools: Statistics. The students will learn how to use Matlab to read in large data sets including genetic data; conduct linear and logistic regression and interaction analysis.

Biological or Medical aspects:

Supervisors: Zoltan Kutalik & Diana Marek

Students:

Presentation:

References: <biblio>

  1. lango-allen2010 pmid=20935629

</biblio>

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