About CGACT
Structure and Membership
The CGACT is housed within the Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics. The CGACT structure and membership, including key members and their responsibilities are outlined in this section.
Mission and Scope
The mission of the CGACT is to be a leading center for statistical genetics and molecular epidemiology research. Specifically, the CGACT will:- develop epidemiological and statistical methods for the study of complex genetic traits,
- develop applications of these methods in multidisciplinary collaborative research, and
- support educational opportunities related to molecular epidemiology and statistical genetics
Mission 1: Methods Development
The CGACT supports faculty research aimed at the development of novel study design and statistical methods that can be used to study the role of genes in complex traits. Examples of these methods include efficient family-based designs, and methods built on traditional epidemiological designs; evaluation of sources of bias in epidemiological association studies; methods for evaluating complex interactions of genetic and environmental data; evaluation of population genetics structure, including linkage disequilibrium and haplotype occurrence; and methods for genomic and proteomic analysis, including those used for analysis of array-based expression data.
Mission 2: Collaborative Research
The CGACT supports the development of collaborative research initiatives to provide applications for the methods being developed, and to provide the study design and analytical resources needed by Penn investigators who are studying complex traits (see Appendix A for a synopsis of these research opportunities). These initiatives will include collaborative research development with the Sleep Center, Cancer Center, Department of Psychiatry, Transdisciplinary Tobacco Use Research Center, GCRC, Department of Genetics; and the development of analytical approaches and application of these approaches in conjunction with the Penn Genomics Institute. These interactions will also involve development of interaction with core facilities and services at Penn. These interactions will also extend to Penn collaborators who study the health policy and ethical implications of genetics research on complex traits (e.g., Leonard Davis Institute, Center for Bioethics).
Mission 3: Education
There is a shortage of qualified researchers with the background needed to conduct rigorous research in genetic or molecular epidemiology. These individuals should have skills in epidemiologic methods in addition to specialized skills in statistical genetics and molecular epidemiology. This shortage also is demonstrated by our own experience in recruiting genetic epidemiologists. While we can select from a large pool of traditionally trained epidemiologists, most are not geneticists, and cannot easily bring molecular biology or genetics insight to their research. With increased knowledge from the basic sciences about biochemical, immunologic, genetic, and other molecular biological factors involved in complex disease development, with increased knowledge of pre-clinical phases of complex diseases made possible by utilization of new diagnostic tools, and with developments in epidemiologic study design, data collection, and analytic methods, there is need for uniquely trained individuals who can bridge the paradigms of these related fields. The large amount of genetic information becoming available through initiatives such as the Human Genome Project demands the skills of genetic or molecular epidemiologists.The Human Genetics Track of the MSCE and PhD degree programs in the CCEB specifically addresses the need for this type of interdisciplinary training in genetic epidemiology, molecular epidemiology and statistical genetics. The CGACT uses these educational programs to increase the breadth of coursework available for training in this area. In addition, the CGACT will foster educational outreach by sponsoring seminar series, the visiting scholar series, and interaction with other relevant training programs. A goal of the educational programs will be to obtain a training grant that will specifically be used to support degree-based and postdoctoral training in molecular epidemiology, genetic epidemiology, and statistical genetics. In addition, training opportunities will be developed for existing researchers and faculty who are making a transition in their research careers.
