Research Questions: How do genetic variants interact with environmental factors to influence cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in the UK Biobank population; what are the key modifiable environmental factors that significantly impact cardiovascular outcomes based on UK Biobank data; can we develop improved risk prediction models by integrating genetic and environmental data from the UK Biobank?
Objectives: To identify novel genetic variants associated with cardiovascular disease risk using genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of UK Biobank participants; to evaluate the interaction between identified genetic variants and environmental factors (including lifestyle, diet, and physical activity) in the UK Biobank cohort; to assess the relative contribution of genetic and environmental factors to cardiovascular disease risk using UK Biobank data; to develop and validate integrated risk prediction models incorporating both genetic and environmental factors from the UK Biobank.
Scientific Rationale: Cardiovascular disease remains a leading cause of mortality worldwide; both genetic and environmental factors contribute to CVD risk, but their complex interactions are not fully understood; the UK Biobank provides an unprecedented opportunity to study these interactions through its comprehensive collection of genetic, environmental, and health outcome data from over 500,000 participants.