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Genome-wide association studies: progress and potential for drug discovery and development
Stephen F Kingsmore1, Ingrid E Lindquist, Joann Mudge
1National Center for Genome Resources, 2935 Rodeo Park Drive East, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87505, USA. sfk@ncgr.org
Nature Reviews. Drug Discovery
|February 16, 2008
Summary
Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) are a novel genetic approach showing promise for identifying therapeutic targets in complex diseases like diabetes and cancer. These studies can also find genetic biomarkers for drug discovery and patient stratification.
Area of Science:
- Genetics
- Genomics
- Pharmacogenomics
Background:
- Genetic studies have historically been more successful for Mendelian disorders than for complex diseases.
- Traditional genetic approaches have had limited success in identifying therapeutic targets for common, complex diseases.
Purpose of the Study:
- To highlight recent successes of genome-wide association (GWA) studies.
- To discuss the potential of GWA studies in identifying novel therapeutic targets and genetic biomarkers for complex diseases.
Main Methods:
- Genome-wide association (GWA) studies identify common genetic variants associated with diseases.
- Analysis of genetic data to find correlations between variants and disease phenotypes.
Main Results:
- GWA studies have demonstrated potential in identifying genetic variants linked to complex diseases.
- Recent successes include applications in diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, and cancer.
Conclusions:
- GWA studies represent a significant advancement in the genetic study of complex diseases.
- These studies offer potential for discovering new therapeutic targets and biomarkers for drug discovery, patient selection, and stratification.
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