Since the first Conference in Quantitative Genomics at the Harvard School of Public Health in 2007, genome-wide association studies have proven fabulously successful in identifying common genetic markers associated with scores of human traits. However, for most traits the newly identified markers only account for a small fraction of genetic variance, suggesting there are other causal alleles yet to be discovered, some of which may be exceedingly difficult to identify using the current genome-wide association approach. Moreover, identifying these markers is only the first step in a journey of 10,000 li. Moving from these associations to a better understanding of causal mechanism and clinical applications presents a new set of challenges.

Hence the theme for the 2009 Conference in Quantitative Genomics: "Human Genetic Variation, Health and Disease: New Knowledge, New Quantitative Challenges." The conference will bring together researchers from multiple disciplines (including geneticists, epidemiologists, statisticians and bioinformaticians) to discuss what we have learned and what we have yet to learn from genome-wide association studies, as well as emerging techniques for studying different types of genetic variation.

The topics for this year’s conference are:

•    Copy Number Variants
•    Genome Wide Association Studies
•    Next-generation Sequencing in Medical Genetics

The conference schedule includes time for scientific presentations, as well as time for more informal panel and round-table discussions.  Two poster sessions will also be held to display selected abstracts relating to this year's theme.  Top abstracts will also either be selected for short talks to be presented at the conference, or for the Stellar Abstract Awards, which provide up to $500 in travel assistance.

We hope the conference will spur discussions and future developments in the field and generate a white-paper report. Last year’s conference was the lead-in to a Nature feature on next-generation sequencing.

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For program, registration, and other information, please follow the links in the menu at left.

For scientific matters on the conference, please email the conference co-chairs Peter Kraft and Joel Hirschhorn.

For logistical matters, please contact the conference coordinators:

Artemis Moore or at (617) 432-1088
Shaina Andelman or at (617) 432-7449

*Funding for this conference was made possible (in part) by a Grant from the National Cancer Institute. The views expressed in written conference materials or publications and by speakers and moderators do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the Department of Health and Human Services; nor does mention by trade names, commercial practices or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.