B3967 - Epigenetics of changing traits - 17/01/2022

B number: 
B3967
Principal applicant name: 
Andrew Simpkin | NUI, Galway (Ireland)
Co-applicants: 
Anna Grossbach
Title of project: 
Epigenetics of changing traits
Proposal summary: 

The last decade has seen a dramatic improvement in our understanding of how our genes affect our height, body mass index (BMI), mental health, cancer risk, and many other traits. This has been facilitated by technological developments which allow us to measure a persons’ epigenetic data accurately and economically. Almost all epigenetic studies investigate traits collected at a single timepoint (e.g. adult height), and the epigenetic sites associated with these traits are then found using an epigenome-wide association study (EWAS). However, some traits such as BMI change over time, and the epigenetics of these repeatedly measured traits remain poorly understood. This project will apply new approaches for epigenetic analysis of longitudinal traits - in particular BMI measured repeatedly from birth to adulthood and depressive symptoms from later childhood through adolescence.

Impact of research: 
This research has major potential. The epigenetic analysis of changing/longitudinal phenotypes has yet to be developed, while methods are available in the GWAS context. Therefore, strong results in this study could lead to discoveries across a range of changing phenotypes, as longitudinal and epigenetic data continue to be collected more regularly. With ALSPAC/ARIES a leading cohort for epigenetic data analysis, these developments will open lots of pathways for research using data from Bristol.
Date proposal received: 
Thursday, 13 January, 2022
Date proposal approved: 
Monday, 17 January, 2022
Keywords: 
Genetic epidemiology (including association studies and mendelian randomisation), Mental health, Obesity, Statistical methods, Development, Epigenetics, Growth, Methods - e.g. cross cohort analysis, data mining, mendelian randomisation, etc.