The Genetic Susceptibility Research Core seeks to elucidate the relative contributions of genetic variants to human risk of environmental disease. There are two broad areas of research into how genes affect the occurrence of environmental disease. One is primarily epidemiologic in approach, using association studies to link the incidence of disease with a particular genetic polymorphism or set of polymorphisms. A second research pathway studies familial cancer genes, which have been identified primarily by genetic linkage analyses. These two approaches thus integrate the efforts of epidemiological scientists with those of molecular biological-based investigators in the evaluation of how changes in cell cycle check points and DNA repair mechanisms can lead to disease phenotypes, particularly those involving various cancers. The Core has five objectives. The first is to support and expand collaborative research in genetic susceptibility utilizing state-of-the-art laboratory methods and rigorously designed epidemiologic approaches. The second is to integrate, on a regular basis, researchers in mechanisms of DNA damage and repair and epidemiologists involved in field studies of gene/environment interactions in carcinogenesis. The third is to promote the integration of molecular genetics into the areas of reproductive, pediatric, pulmonary, and cardiovascular disease research. The fourth is to foster dialogue regarding policy implications of genetic-testing technology and results of genetic research. The final objective is to stimulate new collaborations through pilot projects.
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