Open problems in human trait genetics

Abstract Genetic studies of human traits have revolutionized our understanding of the variation between individuals, and yet, the genetics of most traits is still poorly understood. In this review, we highlight the major open problems that need to be solved, and by discussing these challenges provid...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Nadav Brandes, Omer Weissbrod, Michal Linial
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2022-06-01
Series:Genome Biology
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s13059-022-02697-9
Description
Summary:Abstract Genetic studies of human traits have revolutionized our understanding of the variation between individuals, and yet, the genetics of most traits is still poorly understood. In this review, we highlight the major open problems that need to be solved, and by discussing these challenges provide a primer to the field. We cover general issues such as population structure, epistasis and gene-environment interactions, data-related issues such as ancestry diversity and rare genetic variants, and specific challenges related to heritability estimates, genetic association studies, and polygenic risk scores. We emphasize the interconnectedness of these problems and suggest promising avenues to address them.
ISSN:1474-760X