Statistical Genetics
Evaluation and implementation of statistical methods in genetics
Lead
About
Genetic Epidemiology is a dynamic and thrilling field for statisticians. Practically each day, new statistical method are published. In the “Statistical Genetics” group, such new methods are evaluated, implemented and applied to other research projects going on at the Institute of Genetic Epidemiology. The following statistical genetics topics are of special interest to us:
- Genome-wide association studies
- Genetic risk scores
- Causal inference and Mendelian Randomization
We are primarily applying these methods to evaluate the genetic basis of atherosclerosis-related traits, like lipoprotein(a), lipids, obesity, Type 2 Diabetes, peripheral arterial disease and cardiovascular diseases.
Current Team members and students:
Master thesis: Florian Schnitzer
Earlier Team members and students:
- Bachelor theses: Michelle Hämmerle (2021), Florian Schnitzer (2021), Elena Duschek (2021), Lena Mayr (2023)
- MD Diploma theses: Lukas Gruber (2022), Michael Bloching (2023)
- Master thesis: Ida Gruber (2024)
- PhD thesis: Salome Mack (2017)
Key Publications
Mack S, Coassin S, Rueedi R, Yousri NA, Seppälä I, Gieger C, Schönherr S, Forer L, Erhart G, Marques-Vidal P, Ried JS, Waeber G, Bergmann S, Dähnhardt D, Stöckl A, Raitakari OT, Kähönen M, Peters A, Meitinger T, Strauch K, Kedenko L, Paulweber B, Lehtimäki T, Hunt SC, Vollenweider P, Lamina C, Kronenberg F: A genome-wide association meta-analysis on lipoprotein (a) concentrations adjusted for apolipoprotein (a) isoforms. J. Lipid Res. 58:1834-1844, 2017. PMID: 28512139 Journal Article
Lamina C, Friedel S, Coassin S, Rueedi R, Yousri NA, Seppälä I, Gieger C, Schönherr S, Forer L, Erhart G, Kollerits B, Marques-Vidal P, Ried J, Waeber G, Bergmann S, Dähnhardt D, Stöckl A, Kiechl S, Raitakari OT, Kähönen M, Willeit J, Kedenko L, Paulweber B, Peters A, Meitinger T, Strauch K, KORA Study Group, Lehtimäki T, Hunt SC, Vollenweider P, Kronenberg F: A genome-wide association meta-analysis on apolipoprotein A-IV concentrations. Hum. Mol. Genet. 25:3635-3646, 2016. PMID: 27412012 Journal Article
Mack S, Coassin S, Vaucher J, Kronenberg F, Lamina C, ApoA-IV-GWAS Consortium: Evaluating the causal relation of ApoA-IV with disease-related traits - A bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization study. Sci. Rep. 7:8734, 2017. PMID: 28821713 Journal Article
Duschek E, Forer L, Schönherr S, Gieger C, Peters A, Kronenberg F, Grallert H, Lamina C: A polygenic and family risk score are both independently associated with risk of type 2 diabetes in a population-based study. Sci. Rep. 13:4805, 2023. PMID: 36959271 Journal Article
Schnitzer F, Forer L, Schönherr S, Gieger C, Grallert H, Kronenberg F, Peters A, Lamina C: Association between a polygenic and family risk score on the prevalence and incidence of myocardial infarction in the KORA-F3 study. Atherosclerosis 352:10-17, 2022. PMID: 35636145 Journal Article
Hämmerle M, Forer L, Schönherr S, Peters A, Grallert H, Kronenberg F, Gieger C, Lamina C: A family and a genome-wide polygenic risk score are independently associated with stroke in a population-based study. Stroke 53:2331-2339, 2022. PMID: 35387493 Journal Article