Final Activity Report Summary - GENACT (Genomics and the Analysis of Complex Traits)
The great advances made in genome sequencing since the Human Genome Project was launched have created a vast wealth of data on genomic variability from humans and many other species, and increasingly, individuals within those species. However, the expertise in statistical genetics necessary to analyse the data generated is in short supply. This Early Stage Training Project was designed within the Marie Curie Actions of the Sixth Framework Programme (FP6) to furnish a group of young scientists with the skills necessary to build scientific careers in this area and thus contribute to the health and wealth generation potential of the European Union.
The 'Genomics and the Analysis of Complex Traits' (GENACT) project was designed to provide training through a combination of 12-month and 36-month fellowships, allowing the early stage fellows to register for MSc and PhD degrees, respectively. Five fellows in each category were recruited, from 8 countries: all five 12-month fellows gained the degree of MSc, one with distinction, and 3 out of the five 36-month fellows have already been awarded their PhD degrees - unusually quickly for Edinburgh (under University regulations they have 48 months to submit their thesis). A series of milestones on the way towards their degrees have been satisfactorily completed by all students and the project has already led to the publication of eight refereed scientific articles and four articles in conference proceedings. In addition, eight oral and three poster presentations were given by fellows at scientific conferences (mostly international).
The highlights of the project included papers published by 36-month fellows on:
- 'Decline in the frequency and benefits of multiple brooding in Great Tits as a consequence of a changing environment' (Husby et al., 2009);
- 'Contrasting patterns of phenotypic plasticity in reproductive traits in two Great Tit (Parus major) populations' (Husby et al., 2010);
- 'Two single nucleotide polymorphisms in the myostatin (GDF8) gene have significant association with muscle depth of commercial Charollais sheep' (Hadjipavlou et al., 2008)';
- 'Age-dependent quantitative trait loci affecting growth traits in Scottish Blackface sheep' (Hadjipavlou and Bishop, 2009);
- 'Extensive QTL and Association Analyses of the QTLMAS2009 data' (Hadjipavlou et al., 2010);
- 'Distributions of Selectively Constrained Sites and Deleterious Mutation Rates in the Hominid and Murid Genomes' (Eory et al 2009);
- 'Patterns of DNA-Sequence Divergence Between Drosophila miranda and D. Pseudoobscura' (Marion de Proce et al., 2009).
The 12 month Fellows submitted MSc dissertations with the following titles:
- 'Phylogenetic analysis of oak gallwasps';
- 'Global analysis of runs of homozygosity';
- 'Evolution of human herpesviruses';
- 'Performance of genomewide association using GRAMMAR';
- 'Lactose intolerance: genetics, diet and disease'.
The GENACT project has been reported on in the 12th edition of 'Projects' magazine. GENACT has had a significant impact on the development of expertise in statistical genomics among young scientists in Europe and this success will be extended as they continue their careers in the future.
The 'Genomics and the Analysis of Complex Traits' (GENACT) project was designed to provide training through a combination of 12-month and 36-month fellowships, allowing the early stage fellows to register for MSc and PhD degrees, respectively. Five fellows in each category were recruited, from 8 countries: all five 12-month fellows gained the degree of MSc, one with distinction, and 3 out of the five 36-month fellows have already been awarded their PhD degrees - unusually quickly for Edinburgh (under University regulations they have 48 months to submit their thesis). A series of milestones on the way towards their degrees have been satisfactorily completed by all students and the project has already led to the publication of eight refereed scientific articles and four articles in conference proceedings. In addition, eight oral and three poster presentations were given by fellows at scientific conferences (mostly international).
The highlights of the project included papers published by 36-month fellows on:
- 'Decline in the frequency and benefits of multiple brooding in Great Tits as a consequence of a changing environment' (Husby et al., 2009);
- 'Contrasting patterns of phenotypic plasticity in reproductive traits in two Great Tit (Parus major) populations' (Husby et al., 2010);
- 'Two single nucleotide polymorphisms in the myostatin (GDF8) gene have significant association with muscle depth of commercial Charollais sheep' (Hadjipavlou et al., 2008)';
- 'Age-dependent quantitative trait loci affecting growth traits in Scottish Blackface sheep' (Hadjipavlou and Bishop, 2009);
- 'Extensive QTL and Association Analyses of the QTLMAS2009 data' (Hadjipavlou et al., 2010);
- 'Distributions of Selectively Constrained Sites and Deleterious Mutation Rates in the Hominid and Murid Genomes' (Eory et al 2009);
- 'Patterns of DNA-Sequence Divergence Between Drosophila miranda and D. Pseudoobscura' (Marion de Proce et al., 2009).
The 12 month Fellows submitted MSc dissertations with the following titles:
- 'Phylogenetic analysis of oak gallwasps';
- 'Global analysis of runs of homozygosity';
- 'Evolution of human herpesviruses';
- 'Performance of genomewide association using GRAMMAR';
- 'Lactose intolerance: genetics, diet and disease'.
The GENACT project has been reported on in the 12th edition of 'Projects' magazine. GENACT has had a significant impact on the development of expertise in statistical genomics among young scientists in Europe and this success will be extended as they continue their careers in the future.