Genetic risk factors for diabetes and related traits
The Ó³»´«Ã½ Diabetes Initiative is a multidisciplinary effort that brings together individuals with backgrounds in biology, human genetics, computational and statistical methodologies, software engineering, and clinical medicine to:
- Identify human genes and genetic variants associated with metabolic disease and diabetes risk
- Characterize the genetic architecture of diabetes
- Investigate the genetic factors that contribute to complications of diabetes, such as diabetic kidney disease
- Reveal the genetic influences on individuals' responses to diabetes medications (a.k.a., pharmacogenomic factors)
- Understand the genetic continuum spanning monogenic and polygenic disease risk
- Enable researchers worldwide to to query and interact with the data using web-based portals
To achieve these goals and define new and improved therapeutic targets for T2D, the group is a central partner in several large national and international consortia, including:
- (Accelerating Medicines Partnership in Common Metabolic Diseases)
- (Diabetes Polygenic RIsk Scores in Multiple ancestries)
- (Genetic Exploration of Nephropathy – an International Effort) / JDRF Diabetic Nephropathy Collaborative Research Initiative
- (Meta-Analyses of Glucose and Insulin-related traits Consortium)
- T2D GGI (T2D Global Genomics Initiative)
These collaborations, as well as ones with other major T2D genetics consortia (e.g., KORA, ESP, LuCamp, CHARGE), serve as a paradigm for data sharing and collaboration, and have allowed BDI members and their colleagues to assemble the world’s largest whole-exome dataset for T2D and related traits.
Finally, the Diabetes Initiative serves as the data coordinating center for AMP CMD and maintains the partnership's . The portal provides access to federated data from across the world, novel tools and methods for genetic analysis, and visual representations of data, all intended to promote better understanding and treatment of type 1 and type 2 diabetes, kidney disease, cardiovascular disease, and more.
