NHGRI developed the Population Architecture Using Genomics and Epidemiology (PAGE) research program to identify and characterize genomic variants in non-European populations. To support the complexities of such an ambitious effort, we have convened a strong team of statistical, population, and molecular geneticists, computer and information scientists, biostatisticians, and project management staff with many years of related experience to serve as a Coordinating Center (CC). Specifically, the CC will serve as a centralized resource to facilitate and support the activities of the program and Study Investigators focused on characterization of causal variants by: (1) coordinating phenotype harmonization efforts, including mapping phenotype variables across studies and to the PhenX measures; (2) synthesizing individual-level data into centralized datasets to facilitate sharing of data within and outside of PAGE; (3) utilizing state-of-the-art computer and information science support and scientific workflows that will facilitate analyses, ancestry deconvolution, genotype calling and imputation, SNP annotation, and data synthesis; (4) rapidly disseminating all study data via dbGaP and/or the PAGE website or other applicable databases; and (5) serving as a centralized resource to facilitate, support, and manage program activities and logistics as requested by the Steering Committee or Project Office and as needed for successful coordination of the program. Coordination of the program will be done in a spirit of collaboration using creative and flexible approaches, while providing leadership in statistical genetic methodologies and approaches to project management. The ultimate goal of our CC is to facilitate the identification and characterization of genotype-phenotype associations, especially as relevant to non-European populations, thereby accelerating our understanding of ancestral differences in the genetic and environmental causes of common diseases. Critical to achieving this mission is the deployment of powerful methods for ancestry deconvolution, multi- and trans-ethnic mapping, and imputation. Building upon our success as the PAGE I CC, we have added additional investigators with expertise in these areas and consortium experience with next-generation sequence analysis of both whole-genome and exome data. Our collaborative team is ideally staffed to meet the challenges of the new round of PAGE.
The PAGE study focuses on analysis of existing large samples of primarily non- European ancestry to broaden our understanding of the ethnic differences in the genetic basis of complex disease. The PAGE coordinating center supports the functions of this study.
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