SACNAS, Long Beach, CA, 2016
The ABCs of Diversity in Genomic Research: Ascertainment, Bioinformatics, and Computation
Narrative: Thousands of common genetic variants are now associated with hundreds of clinical outcomes and traits. The majority of this discoveries, however, were made only in European-descent populations. We provide in this scientific session an overview of genomic research in diverse populations from study design to analysis and everything in between.
Session Goals: To date, thousands of common genetic variants have been associated with hundreds of clinical outcomes and traits, perhaps representing novel prevention and treatment opportunities in the not-to-distant future. While many herald this era of genomic discovery as a success, many have also noted its short-comings, including the lack of diverse populations represented in these studies. With the current interest in a national cohort for precision medicine research, there is intense discussion on the inclusion of diverse populations.
In this scientific session, we aim to
- Introduce the topic of genomic research and its state-of-the union related to diversity
- Describe best practices in study design and ascertainment for population genomic research
- Describe state-of-the-art genomic assays designed for diverse populations
- Provide contemporary bioinformatics and computational approaches for genomic research
- Provide an example of genomic research in action using diverse populations
- Inspire attendees to consider training and careers in the biomedical sciences
Intended audience: The primary intended audience includes graduate students, post-doctoral fellows, and professionals or faculty interested in genomic research with an emphasis on diverse populations. Undergraduate audience members may also be interested in these talks, which may inspire them to pursue biomedical research or clinical translational fields.
Speakers/Chair:
Janina M. Jeff, Global Bioinformatics Specialist, Illumina, New York, NY
Emerging Resources for Genomic Assays that Power Discoveries in Diverse Populations
William S. Bush, Assistant Professor, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH
Crunching Numbers: Bioinformatics and Computational Approaches for Genomic Studies
Farren Briggs, Assistant Professor, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH
Study Design 101: The Dos and Don'ts of Ascertainment in Genomic Studies
Sarah A. Pendergrass, Investigator 1 (Assistant Professor), Biomedical and Translational Informatics Program, Geisinger Health System
Genomic Research in Action: Phenome-wide Association Studies in Diverse Populations
Chair: Dana C. Crawford, Associate Professor, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH
Session Introduction
