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Lessons from the Genome-Wide Association Studies for Complex Multifactorial Disorders and Traits

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Vogel and Motulsky's Human Genetics

Abstract

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) between common sequence variation and phenotypic variation were recently performed for a large number of human phenotypes. This was possible due to the discovery of the common variation in human populations, the development of technologies for large-scale and inexpensive genotyping, and the collection of very large number of well-phenotyped samples. GWAS were successful in identifying low risk alleles in candidate genes or loci. More importantly, these studies disclosed unexpected molecular pathways for different common, multifactorial disorders and traits, thereby providing new working hypotheses. Yet, the current clinical utility of these findings remains limited.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Service and Department of Medical Genetics, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland

    Jacques S. Beckmann

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  1. Jacques S. Beckmann
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  2. Stylianos E. Antonarakis
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Human Genetics, Medical University of Graz, Harrachgasse 21/8, Graz, 8010, Austria

    Michael R. Speicher

  2. Departments of Medicine (Division of Medical Genetics) and Genome Sciences, University of Washington School of Medicine, 1705 N.E. Pacific St., 355065, Seattle, WA, 98195-5065, USA

    Arno G. Motulsky (Professor Emeritus) (Professor Emeritus)

  3. Department of Genetic Medicine and Development, University of Geneva Medical School and University Hospitals of Geneva, 1 rue Michel-Servet, Geneva, 1211, Switzerland

    Stylianos E. Antonarakis

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Beckmann, J.S., Antonarakis, S.E. (2010). Lessons from the Genome-Wide Association Studies for Complex Multifactorial Disorders and Traits. In: Speicher, M.R., Motulsky, A.G., Antonarakis, S.E. (eds) Vogel and Motulsky's Human Genetics. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-37654-5_10

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