Between the Lines of Genetic Code: Genetic Interactions in Understanding Disease and Complex Phenotypes

Between the Lines of Genetic Code lays out methodologies and tools for the measurement and evaluation of gene-gene and gene-environment studies and gives perspective on the future of this discipline. The book begins by defining terms for interaction studies, describing methodologies, and critically assessing the viability of current study designs and the possibilities for integrating designs. It then provides recent applications data with case studies in rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, myositis and other complex human diseases. Last, it examines current studies and directions for future applications in patient care.

Recent multivariate studies show that gene-gene and gene-environment interactions can explain significant variances in inheritance that have previously been undetectable in univariate analysis. These links among genes and between genes and their environments during the development of diseases may serve as important hints for understanding pathogenic mechanisms and for developing new tools for prognosis, diagnosis, and treatment of various diseases.