title: Challenges in conducting genome-wide association studies in highly admixed multi-ethnic populations: the Generation R Study.
abstract: Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have been successful in identifying loci associated with a wide range of complex human traits and diseases. Up to now, the majority of GWAS have focused on European populations. However, the inclusion of other ethnic groups as well as admixed populations in GWAS studies is rapidly rising following the pressing need to extrapolate findings to non-European populations and to increase statistical power. In this paper, we describe the methodological steps surrounding genetic data generation, quality control, study design and analytical procedures needed to run GWAS in the multiethnic and highly admixed Generation R Study, a large prospective birth cohort in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Furthermore, we highlight a number of practical considerations and alternatives pertinent to the quality control and analysis of admixed GWAS data.
authors.affiliation: The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Carolina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Medina-Gomez
authors.forename: Janine Frédérique
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Felix
authors.forename: Karol
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Estrada
authors.forename: Marjoline Josephine
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Peters
authors.forename: Lizbeth
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Herrera
authors.forename: Claudia Jeanette
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Kruithof
authors.forename: Liesbeth
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Duijts
authors.forename: Albert
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hofman
authors.forename: Cornelia Marja
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: van Duijn
authors.forename: Andreas Gerardus
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Uitterlinden
authors.forename: Vincent Wilfred Vishal
authors.initials: VW
authors.lastname: Jaddoe
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rivadeneira
mesh_terms: D004194:Disease / Q000235:genetics*; D005006:Ethnicity; D008040:Genetic Linkage; D055106:Genome-Wide Association Study; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D009426:Netherlands; D010641:Phenotype; D011159:Population Surveillance; D011446:Prospective Studies; D044465:White People / Q000235:genetics*