Complex Genetic Diseases

*Please consult the online schedule for this course for the definitive date and time for this lecture. Key Concepts vs Supplementary Information: The syllabus is meant to accompany the lectures and the material covered (other) than that in italics) is considered important to your understanding of the subject. Key items are marked in bold. Supplemental information is marked in italics. Lecture Objectives: This lecture is to serve as an introduction to the genetic analysis of complex traits/diseases (those with polygenic inheritance). Emphasis is placed on the difference between Mendelian and polygenic traits. By the end of this lecture you should be familiar with (1) the types of traits and how their inheritance differs, (2) the principles of linkage analysis, (3) how these principles are applied to complex traits, and (4) the confounding problems of complex trait analysis.