Computational Genetics and Genomics: Tools for Understanding Disease

Despite ever-increasing investments in genetic research, the translation of genetic discoveries into new therapies has been a slow process. In Computational Genetics and Genomics: Tools for Understanding Disease, well-recognized computational geneticists review and assess both currently available and developing tools for the rapid identification of the genetic basis for susceptibility to disease. The authors introduce a new computational approach that makes it possible to identify the genetic basis for differences in physiological or pathological responses among inbred mouse strains, thus facilitating more rapid genetic discovery. The focus is on the haplotype-based computational genetic analysis method and its application to inbred mouse strains. Reviewing murine models of asthma, lung disease, osteoporosis, and substance abuse, the contributors provide an overview of available mouse models, what has been learned from them, and which new models must be developed to advance our understanding of these diseases. They also describe how genetic analysis of human populations has yielded information on the genetic basis for susceptibility to asthma and other inflammatory diseases. Authoritative and path-breaking, Computational Genetics and Genomics: Tools for Understanding Disease surveys and assesses both currently available and powerful new computational genetic mapping methods that can be used to quickly analyze genetic models of biomedically important traits. This information provides a basis for uncovering the genetic factors regulating human disease-related traits.

Well-recognized computational geneticists review and assess both currently available and developing tools for the rapid identification of the genetic basis for susceptibility to disease. The authors introduce a new computational approach that makes it possible to identify the genetic basis for differences in physiologic or pathologic responses among inbred mouse strains, thus facilitating more rapid genetic discovery. The focus is on the haplotype-based computational genetic analysis method and its application to inbred mouse strains. Reviewing murine models of asthma, lung disease, osteoporosis, and substance abuse, the contributors provide an overview of available mouse models, what has been learned from them, and which new models must be developed to advance our understanding of these diseases. They also describe how genetic analysis of human populations has yielded information on the genetic basis for susceptibility to asthma and other inflammatory diseases.

Part I. Theory and Technical Concept Computational Biology: Are We There Yet? Gary Peltz Statistical Theory in QTL Mapping Benjamin Yakir, Anne Pisanté, and Ariel Darvasi Haplotype-Based Computational Genetic Analysis in Mice Jianmei Wang and Gary Peltz Haplotype Structure of the Mouse Genome Jianmei Wang, Guochun Liao, Janet Cheng, Anh Nguyen, Jingshu Guo, Christopher Chou, Steven Hu, Sharon Jiang, John Allard, Steve Shafer, Anne Puech, John D. McPherson, Dorothee Foernzler, Gary Peltz, and Jonathan Usuka SNP Discovery and Genotyping: Methods and Applications Jun Wang, Dee Aud, Soren Germer, and Russell Higuchi Part II. Selected Examples: Murine Models of Human Disease Genetic and Genomic Approaches to Complex Lung Diseases Using Mouse Models Michael J. Holtzman, Edy Y. Kim, and Jeffrey D. Morton Murine Models of Osteoporosis Robert F. Klein Murine Models of Substance and Alcohol Dependence: Unraveling Genetic Complexities Kim Cronise and John C. Crabbe Murine Models of Alcoholism: From QTL to Gene Chris Downing, Beth Bennett, and Thomas E. Johnson Part III. Selected Examples: The Genetic Basis for Human Disease HLA Polymorphism and Disease Susceptibility Henry A. Erlich Asthma Genetics: A Case Study William Cookson Index