Project description
Tracing the role of genetic endowments in social status
The analysis of the interaction between genetic endowments and the social environment is an immense field of study. Research in social science genetics has demonstrated that, among other factors, part of the variation in social status can be explained by genetic differences across population members. How could heritability studies further contribute to the reduction of social inequalities? Which effects should be attributed to genes and which to the environments through which these genes operate? By advancing the methodological toolkit for the investigation of the interaction between genes and environments, the EU-funded GEPSI project aims to address these crucial questions.
Objective
Many important indicators of social status (such as ones level of education, occupation, and income) have been shown to be moderately heritable, meaning that a part of the variation in social status can be explained by genetic differences across population members. I have been able to identify for the first time specific genetic variants that are robustly associated with such an indicator, namely educational attainment (Rietveld et al., 2013, Science). By methodologically advancing the estimation of the interaction between genes and environments, this proposal will settle two long lasting debates in social science genetics.
First, I will show how heritability studies despite earlier firm rejections of this position can be informative for policies aiming to reduce social inequalities (Objective 1). Second, I will assess the critique that social science genetics attributes effects to genes which should be attributed to the environments through which these genes operate (Objective 2). In doing so, I will extend existing methodology to quantify the incremental explanatory power of genes over environmental factors such as the social status of parents (Objective 2A), and I will develop a solution for the endogenous inclusion of environmental factors in genetic summary indices (i.e. polygenic risk scores) which currently impacts the validity of gene-by-environment studies (Objective 2B).
All newly developed methods will be tested extensively using simulations, and made available for others by means of free software code. Empirically, I will interact genes and various natural experiments (policy changes) to identify interventions that can ameliorate social inequalities in terms of education, occupational status, and income. For this purpose, I will draw on a unique combination of data sources including UK Biobank (~500,000 genotyped individuals) and administrative data from Statistics Netherlands which I will link to data from the Dutch Twin Registry for this project.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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H2020-EU.1.1. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - European Research Council (ERC)
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Topic(s)
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Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
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Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
ERC-STG - Starting Grant
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Call for proposal
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Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) ERC-2020-STG
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3062 PA Rotterdam
Netherlands
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