The identification and validation of common disease genes: relevance to the drug development process

The understanding of the genetic factors contributing to the development of common diseases has presented a great challenge. Recent accomplishments in the field of genetics have now transformed this vision into a reachable goal. The increased knowledge will have great impact on our fundamental understanding of biological processes, as well as how we diagnose and treat common disease. Many obstacles still remain, and a careful choice of strategy will be critical to achieve these goals. One key point will be the validation of generated candidates in an optimized study set-up.