Genetic Epidemiology
This course will run in our next programme of short courses.
We are updating this page. Currently the information relates to the last run of the course. Find out confirmed course dates for 2024-2025 here.
Genetic epidemiology examines the effect of genetic variation on a disease or a health-related outcome. Since 2007, genome wide association studies have been widely used to detect associations between genetic variants and a disease or a health-related outcome in populations. It has facilitated a wide range of discoveries in the genetic epidemiology field. Genetic epidemiology is used in a large amount of the applied research in the MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit (IEU) and throughout Population Health Sciences at the University of Bristol Medical School.
| Dates | TBC |
|---|---|
| Fee | TBC |
| Format | Online |
| Audience | Open to all applicants (prerequisites apply) |
Course profile
This course aims to provide a grounding in a wide range of cutting-edge genetic epidemiological methods for complex traits.
Please click on the sections below for more information.
Structure
This 5-day course (with a weekend in-between) will be online and consist of 17 lectures (synchronous and asynchronous), small group work discussions, one individual task (reading a paper), and 13 computer practicals. Participants might be split into breakout rooms during the computer practicals and/or for small group discussions. Breakout rooms will have a tutor to help participants with issues.
Intended Learning Objectives
By the end of the course participants should be able to:
- understand the major sources of genetic variation in the genome;
- infer the genetic architecture of a trait using results from family studies, association studies and whole genome approaches;
- carry-out a genetic association analysis for a single nucleotide polymorphism;
- design and analyse a basic genome-wide association study using appropriate software;
- consider population structure and its application to genetic association studies;
- work with a range of genetic data types: e.g. genotyped, imputed, sequenced, polygenic risk scores;
- utilise online bioinformatic resources to explore the functional properties of genetic variation;
- interpret results from studies of molecular gene regulation (e.g. expression and methylation); and
- utilise results from genetic association studies to investigate genetic correlation and causality in epidemiological associations.
Target audience
This course is intended for Epidemiologists, Statisticians, Molecular biologists, Clinicians and Psychologists.
Outline
This course will cover:
Introduction to genetics (optional pre-course videos):
- molecular structure; and
- variation & population structure.
Introduction to data types and formats:
- genotyping;
- imputed genetic data;
- sequence data;
- other ‘omics (e.g. expression, methylation); and
- use of summary statistics.
Heritability and genetic architecture of complex traits:
- twin studies; and
- whole genome approaches.
Genetic association of complex traits:
- statistical tests for association;
- genome-wide association study (GWAS) analysis, multi-ancestry GWAS;
- study design, confounding, statistical power;
- construction & use of polygenic risk scores;
- Next Generation Sequence analysis; and
- bioinformatic follow-up of results to explore functional mechanisms.
Related study designs:
- other ‘omics (e.g. expression, methylation);
- Mendelian randomization for causal inference in epidemiology; and
- recall by genotype studies.
Teaching staff
Dr Josine Min, Dr Raquel Granell, Dr Lavinia Paternoster and Dr Ashley Budu-Aggrey are experienced genetic epidemiologists and are passionate about teaching this topic to the next generation of genetic epidemiologists.
Prerequisites
To make sure the course is suitable for you and you will benefit from attending, please ensure you meet the following prerequisites before booking:
| Knowledge | Prior experience of genetic epidemiology is not required, but we encourage participants to familiarise themselves with some of the genetic terminology and concepts before the course. To help you to do this we have produced a series of 3 short videos (specifically for this course) which provide a background to basic genetics for those of you who are new to the subject. We recommend you watch these before coming on the course. In addition the following resources both contain some good basic information: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genetics http://www.dorak.info/genetics/ This course will require students to use analytical software in a command-line Linux and R environment. We will include all instructions but do recommend that you have some experience of these computer environments before the course. |
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| Software | During the course, you will run all computer practicals on your own computer/laptop using Posit Cloud (formerly known as RStudio Cloud) which allows you access to the R and Linux environments. We will briefly introduce the Cloud in the first practical and provide all main code for all practicals. You do not need to install any software packages yourself. The operating system can be either Windows or Mac. |
| Recommendation | You should consider having a fast internet speed for synchronous/live sessions and for practicals. We would also recommend the use of two screens for practicals. |
Bookings
Before booking this course, please make sure you read the information provided above about the target audience and prerequisites. It is important that you have access to the relevant IT resources needed for the course and meet the knowledge prerequisites to ensure you can get the most from the course.
Bookings are taken via our online booking system, for which you must register an account. To check if you are eligible for free or discounted courses please see our fees and voucher packs page. All bookings are subject to our terms & conditions, which can be read in full here.
For help and support with booking a course refer to our booking information page, FAQs or feel free to contact us directly. For available payment options please see: How to pay your short course fees.
Course materials
Participants are granted access to our virtual learning platform (Blackboard) 1 to 2 weeks in advance of the course. This allows time for any pre-course work to be completed and to familiarise with the platform.
To gain the most from the course, we recommend that you attend in full and participate in all interactive components. We endeavour to record all live lecture sessions and upload these to the online learning environment within 24 hours. This allows course participants to review these sessions at leisure and revisit them multiple times. Please note that we do not record breakout sessions.
All course participants retain access to the online learning materials and recordings for 3 months after the course.
University of Bristol staff and postgraduate students who do not wish to attend the full course may instead register for access to the 'Materials & Recordings' version of this course: Further information and bookings.
Testimonials
100% of attendees recommend this course*.
*Attendee feedback from November 2023.
Here is a sample of feedback from the course:
Bookings are currently closed.
You will be able to register with our booking system from midday 17 September 2024. Bookings will be accepted from midday 8 October 2024.
The course contains a vast amount of information, providing a comprehensive overview of the forefront areas in genetic epidemiology. The practical materials are meticulously prepared.
Dates don't work? Just need a refresher?
Find out about the self-paced Materials & Recordings version of this course [UoB only].