Gene-environment interaction analysis on age-related diseases

Population ageing is inevitable and may result in soaring global burdens for multiple age-related diseases, especially cardiovascular diseases, cancers, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and neurodegenerative diseases. Independent effects of various risk gene and environmental stressors on the age-related diseases were well-documented, but studies about gene-environment interactions on the diseases were limited. This study is designed to identify key factors about the initiation or progression of age-related diseases through gene-wide association study (GWAS) and environment-wide association study (EWAS), then conduct gene-environment interaction analysis to further reconstruct intrinsic pathways from risk factors to the diseases. Results of the study would contribute to revealing complex disease mechanisms, promoting personalized medicine, and preventing age-related diseases.