The Statistical Genetics Laboratory studies the role that genetic variation plays in determining risk of disease and its risk factors. The laboratory develops and applies statistical genetic methods to gene mapping studies across a wide range of traits and diseases. One major focus is understanding genetic variation in various cancers. Cancers studied include melanoma, ovarian cancer and oesophageal cancer. This work will lead to better understanding of why particular individuals are affected by cancer or why they respond poorly to cancer treatment. Another major interest is ophthalmological genetics, with ongoing work to identify the specific genes involved in both eye disease and in underlying quantitative risk factors.
We gratefully acknowledge support from the following organisations and funding bodies: