Association studies either based on genome wide analysis and localized fine mapping through linkage disequilibrium (LD) have become increasingly popular as they represent a potentially more cost effective and powerful approach for gene mapping than linkage analysis. Haplotypes refer to combinations of marker alleles which are located closely together on the same chromosome and which tend to be inherited together. Haplotypes play an important role in association studies because haplotype based approaches may provide additional power for mapping disease genes and also provide insight on the factors influencing the dependencies among genetic markers (i.e., LD). Such insights may provide information essential for understanding human evolution and also for identifying cis-interactions between two or more causal variants. For these reasons, haplotype based methods have drawn much attention and have long been of great interest of genetic societies. However, despite the rapid progress on this research area, haplotype analysis using a large number of tightly linked single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) is just being developed and poses great challenges to scientists because the genotype other than the haplotypes of each individual is generated in large scale studies. In addition, it is still unclear how best to perform the haplotype analysis and to what extent and in what context the haplotype analysis can increase power for association studies. Therefore, a focused meeting on relevant methodological and applied issues on haplotype analysis can stimulate novel ideas and exchange different views/approaches that can lead to more powerful and efficient analyses of haplotypes. To address this need, we request funds to support a conference on haplotype analysis of population and pedigree data in association studies in which leading researchers on haplotype analysis convene to discuss the best use of haplotypes to identify genes underlying common human diseases.
The specific aims of this conference are to review the up-to-date methodological development of haplotype analysis, to explore novel statistical and computational methods designed for haplotype analysis, to discuss strategies for the best use of haplotypes, and to disseminate the knowledge and lessons learned from this conference to the general scientific community. The meeting will take place in December of 2007 and be attended by scientists from academia, government, and industry. ? ? ?
