Statistics Day Workshop on Mapping Genes

October 1–2, 2001

Nebraska Union Auditorium

Speakers:  Robert Elston, Jane Olson, John Witte
Dept. of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Case Western Reserve University,
School of Medicine

Monday, October 1
8:15–8:30 a.m.           Opening Remarks
8:30–10:00 a.m.         Genetic terms and concepts
10:30–12:00 noon       Linkage analysis of quantitative traits

1:30–3:00 p.m.             Linkage analysis of disease traits with
convariates
3:30–5:00 p.m.              Relationship testing and model misspecification

Tuesday, October 2
8:30–10:00 a.m.           Design of linkage disequilibrium studies
10:30–12:00 noon         Linkage disequilibrium analysis

Abstract:
The genetic terms and concepts required for the statistical mapping genes
will first be defined.  Genetic linkage analysis and its role in gene
discovery will be discussed.  Emphasis will be on methods of analysis
appropriate for complex traits, first for quantitative traits measured on
members of sibships and then affected-sib-pair methods and the use of
covariate information to allow for disease heterogeneity.  We show how such
methods can dramatically increase the power to detect disease genes.  We
discuss methods for correctly inferring family relationship and the impact
of relationship and other model misspecification on linkage analysis.  The
final section of this course will focus on linkage disequilibrium (i.e.,
association) studies for mapping genes.  Here, we first cover the genetic
theory underlying this approach.  Next we discuss the different types of
study designs that can be used for such studies (familial versus
non-familial).  Finally, we present and discuss analytic approaches for
mapping by linkage disequilibrium.

Scientific Program information contact:
Partha Lahiri   plahiri@unlnotes.unl.edu      Phone No.  301/314–5903

Registration information contact:
Barb Rolfes   brolfes@math.unl.edu     Phone No.  402/472–7241
http://math.unl.edu

Statistics Department