Somatic mutations provide important and unique insights into the biology of complex diseases

Somatic evolution of cells within the body is well known to lead to cancers. However, spread of somatic mutations within a tissue over time may also contribute to the pathogenesis of non-neoplastic diseases. Recent years have seen the publication of many studies aiming to characterize somatic evolution in healthy tissues. A logical next step is to extend such work to diseased conditions. As our understanding of the interplay between somatic mutations and non-neoplastic disease grows, opportunities for the joint study of germline and somatic variants will present themselves. Here, we present our thoughts on the utility of somatic mutations for understanding both the causes and consequences of common complex disease and the challenges that remain for the joint study of the soma and germline.