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• Discovery of Colorectal Cancer Susceptibility Genes in High-Risk Families

  Colorectal cancer remains one of the most common cancers in the US with 146,970 new diagnoses and 49,920 deaths estimated for 2009. Colon cancer is also one of the most familial of cancers. Individuals with a first-degree relative with colon cancer have a 2- to 3-fold increased risk, and those with more than one first-degree relative with colon cancer, or a single first-degree relative affected at age 50 years, have a 3- to 6-fold greater risk than those with no family history. The most prominent high-risk colorectal cancer susceptibility genes, APC, MLH1, MSH2, MSH6, and PTEN, were all discovered more than a decade ago. Currently, mutation screening of these genes, plus a short list of additional genes that are responsible for a very small fraction of colorectal cancer, plays an important role in the clinical management of individuals with a strong family history of the disease or syndromic evidence for the presence of a gene mutation. At the other end of the risk spectrum, genome-wide association studies have identified a number of common alleles with very modest effects on colorectal cancer risk; their clinical utility has yet to be established. However, taken together, the known spectrum of genetic effects only explain about one quarter of the overall familial excess of colorectal cancer. It should be emphasized that, at present, the vast majority of individuals seen at familial cancer clinics are counseled on the basis of their family history alone because they do not have mutations in the known susceptibility genes. Accordingly, the long-term objective of this project is to identify the majority of genes responsible for the unexplained component of inherited colorectal cancer risk. Nextgen DNA sequencing is well suited for application to research questions in genetic susceptibility for which linkage analysis is confounded by extensive genetic heterogeneity. Taking advantage of unparalleled familial cancer genetics resources available through the Utah Population Database, candidate genes have been identified by sequencing all of the gene exons in the human genome from a series of colorectal cancer cases with a very strong family history of colorectal cancer not explained by one of the currently known high-risk susceptibility genes.

  Study phs001787

• Genetic Epidemiology of COPD (COPDGene) Funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

  Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States and the only leading cause of death that is steadily increasing in frequency. This project will establish a racially diverse cohort that is sufficiently large and appropriately designed for genome-wide association analysis of COPD. A total of 10,000 subjects will be recruited, including control smokers, definite COPD cases (GOLD Stage 2 to 4), and subjects not included in either group (GOLD 1 or GOLD-Unclassified). This cohort will be used for cross-sectional analysis, although long-term longitudinal follow-up will be a future goal. The primary focus of the study will be genome-wide association analysis to identify the genetic risk factors that determine susceptibility for COPD and COPD-related phenotypes. Detailed phenotyping of both cases and controls, including chest CT scan assessment of emphysema and airway disease, will allow identification of genetic determinants for the heterogeneous components of the COPD syndrome. The hypotheses to be studied are: 1) Precise phenotypic characterization of COPD subjects using computed tomography, as well as clinical and physiological measures, will provide data that will enable the broad COPD syndrome to be decomposed into clinically significant subtypes. 2) Genome-wide association studies will identify genetic determinants for COPD susceptibility that will provide insight into clinically relevant COPD subtypes. 3) Distinct genetic determinants influence the development of emphysema and airway disease. The initial phase of genome-wide association analysis included 500 COPD cases and 500 control subjects (all non-Hispanic White) genotyped with the Illumina Omni-1 chip. The second phase genotyped the entire study cohort using the Illumina Omni-Express chip. Unique aspects of the study include: 1) Inclusion of large numbers of African American subjects (approximately 1/3 of the cohort); 2) Obtaining chest CT scans (including inspiratory and expiratory images); and 3) Inclusion of the full range of disease severity. The COPDGene_v6 Cohort is utilized in the following dbGaP sub-studies. To view genotypes, other molecular data, and derived variables collected in these sub-studies, please click on the following sub-studies below or in the "Sub-studies" box located on the right hand side of this top-level study page phs000179 COPDGene_v6 Cohort. phs000296 ESP LungGO COPDGene phs000765 COPDGene_Geno

  Study phs000179

• Warm_autopsy__mutational_signatures_and_clonal_units

  Aims and objectives 1. To produce a ‘first generation map’ of mutational burdens and mutational processes that operate in normal human tissues. 2. To examine clonal units and their distribution across normal human tissues with the emphasis on these particular areas: a) Tissues with an architecturally defined unit: Are architectural structures populated by a progeny derived from a single stem cell? Are clonal units confined to a given architectural structure? Examples of tissues where such approach will be used include prostate gland (acini and ducts), small bowel (crypts), thyroid gland (follicles) and others. b) Tissues without an architecturally defined unit: What is the average size of clonal populations? This group includes stratified/pseudostratified epithelia with a basal layer within which there are stem cells that give rise to a progeny of cells showing upwards migration and lateral expansion (e.g. urothelium, cervical squamous epithelium, respiratory epithelium). This approach can also be used in tissues with a sheet-like cell arrangement, for example brain and adrenal gland. Methods To answer these questions, we will use a range of normal human tissue samples which have already been collected from a single deceased individual. The samples are currently stored in a -80C freezer. Ethanol fixed frozen sections will be prepared from these biopsies. Putative clonal units will be identified and dissected out using laser capture microscopy. DNA extraction will be performed using the in-house (CGP) protease based method. In terms of sequencing methods, the project will be split into 2 phases (2 different approaches): - Phase 1: This part of the project will utilise a combination of low input library preparation (developed by Peter Ellis) and standard whole genome sequencing (HiSeqX). The phase has already started (December 2016). This approach will be particularly useful in investigation of mitotically active tissues. - Phase 2: This part of the project will utilise a combination of low input library method (Peter Ellis) and Bottle-neck sequencing (BotSeqS). BotSeqS is a type of duplex sequencing method that offers a more accurate variant calling and allows genome interrogation at a single cell level. This method is currently being developed and is expected to be implemented in 3-6 months (March-April 2017). This approach will be particularly useful for post-mitotic tissues and tissues without pre-defined architectural units.

  Study EGAS00001002216

• Somatic mutation burden and copy-number variation analysis in neurofibromatosis type 1-associated plexiform neurofibromas

  Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is a common tumor-predisposition disorder due to germline mutations in the tumor suppressor gene NF1. A virtually pathognomonic finding of NF1 is the plexiform neurofibroma (PN), a benign, likely congenital tumor that arises from biallelic inactivation of NF1. PN can undergo transformation to a malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor, an aggressive soft-tissue sarcoma. To better understand the non-NF1 genetic contributions to PN pathogenesis, we performed whole-exome sequencing and genome-wide copy-number determination for 23 low-passage Schwann cell cultures established from surgical PN material with matching germline DNA. All resected tumors were derived from routine debulking surgeries. None of the tumors were considered at risk for malignant transformation at the time, e.g., there was no pain or rapid growth. Deep (~500X) NF1 exon sequencing was also conducted on tumor DNA. Non-NF1 somatic mutation verification was performed using the Ampliseq/IonTorrent platform. We identified 100% of the germline NF1 mutations and found somatic NF1 inactivation in 74% of the PN. One individual with three PNs had different NF1 somatic mutations in each tumor. The median number of somatic mutations per sample, including NF1, was one (range 0 - 8). NF1 was the only gene that was recurrently somatically inactivated in multiple tumors. We found no recurrent non-NF1 locus copy-number variation in PN. This is the first multi-sample whole-exome sequencing study of NF1-associated PN. Taken together with concurrent copy-number data, our comprehensive genetic analysis reveals the primacy of NF1 loss as the driver of PN tumorigenesis.

  Study phs001403

• Genomic Origins and Admixture in Latinos (GOAL)

  The GOAL Study was designed to comprehensively evaluate the genomic architecture of diverse Hispanic/Latino individuals with origins from the Caribbean, Central and South America, and to understand the impact of this diversity on genetic disease studies. Population structure and admixture are key confounders in genome-wide association and medical resequencing studies. In particular, accounting for difference in ancestry among cases and controls, both in terms of genomic and geographic location, is critical for proper analysis and interpretation of studies with multi- and trans-ethnic samples. Genomic studies of Hispanics/Latinos, the largest and fastest growing minority group in the US, reveal that they are a highly genetically heterogeneous admixed group with immense variation among individuals and populations in the proportions of African, European, and Native American ancestry. Knowledge of the underlying complex genetic structure of US Hispanic/Latino and Caribbean populations is, therefore, essential to ensuring robustness of genotype-phenotype associations and understanding the medical relevance of associated variants across diverse populations in the US and throughout the Americas. Furthermore, since much is known about the African and European migrations into the Americas over the past 500 years, population genetic studies of Hispanics/Latinos serve as an excellent model for developing novel algorithms and approaches for characterizing fine-scale genetic structure of admixed populations, in general. This project extends current studies of population genetic structure in US Hispanics/Latinos by densely genotyping parent-offspring triads from individuals (sampled in the US) of Caribbean-descent from six Latin American countries: Puerto Rico, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Honduras and Colombia. This study will provide immediate insights and new statistical methods to improve study design and genetic analysis for medical genomic studies in Hispanics/Latinos, other complex admixed groups, and multi- and trans-ethnic studies.

  Study phs000750

• Genetic Basis of Developmental Disabilities

  Developmental disabilities are birth defects that cause lifelong problems with how a body part or system works. Developmental disabilities include nervous system insults affecting how the brain, spinal cord and nervous system function; they cause intellectual disability, including Down syndrome and fragile X syndrome; and they also cause learning and behavioral disorders, such as autism spectrum disorders. At the Kennedy Krieger Institute, approximately 450 inpatients and 13,000 outpatients are seen per year (involving 114,000 visits). For most of these disorders, the underlying molecular cause has not been identified. Some, such as chromosomal disorders, have a strongly genetic basis while others, such as traumatic brain injury, are caused by environmental insults but are nonetheless influenced by the genetic background. The purpose of the present study is to identify chromosomal abnormalities underlying a variety of developmental disabilities. The approach is to obtain blood and saliva from children, and from one or both biological parents (and in some cases from siblings and/or additional relatives). Genomic DNA is purified and assayed on single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) microarrays and/or by sequencing, including whole genome sequencing. These technologies provide high resolution information about chromosomal changes, and the information provided by the parental (and other relatives') DNA allows an interpretation of whether changes in a child are inherited or occur de novo. The study design includes multiple data analysis procedures to interpret the biological significance of findings of chromosomal changes relative to a child's parents, relative to children with similar diagnoses, relative to children with other chromosomal anomalies, and (in some cases) relative to the chromosomal status of siblings. We will further interpret the significance of the findings relative to the general (apparently normal) population by obtaining publicly available data from apparently normal individuals.

  Study phs000337

• Genetics of Neuropsychiatric and Neurodevelopmental Disorders

  Although schizophrenia is a highly heritable disease, relatively little progress had been made in securely identifying the genetic causes of this disorder, and most instances of schizophrenia in the general population remain unexplained. One avenue of explanation for the genetic basis of schizophrenia, however, has been effectively closed by recent research. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have now shown that common variation makes at most a modest contribution to the risk of schizophrenia. At the same time that the role of common variation has been circumscribed by GWAS, however, the analysis of copy number variants that are detectable on a genome-wide scale has revealed and replicated a number of very rare variants that associate with schizophrenia. These rare copy number variants that have been implicated in schizophrenia, however, have one striking feature in common: they are all risk factors for other brain related disorders beyond schizophrenia such as mental retardation, autism and epilepsy. These findings argue that genetic risk factors may confer a highly penetrant vulnerability to neuropsychiatric disorder, which is then further modified by interacting genetic or environmental factors to determine the ultimate manifestation. Most schizophrenia collections that are being studied today, however, have been selected precisely for their homogeneity: including only schizophrenia patients with no comorbidities, or schizophrenia patients with relatives who have schizophrenia but no other neuropsychiatric conditions. These selection criteria are inconsistent with what we now know about the bulk of the genetic differences that have been associated with disease. The central hypothesis of this project is that there are rare genetic variants that strongly elevate the risk of various neuropsychiatric diseases, and that these risk factors can be identified most readily in families segregating multiple neuropsychiatric conditions.

  Study phs000682

• Genomic Evolution of Low- and High-Grade Glioma

  Malignant transformation (MT) of IDH-mutant low-grade glioma (LGG) to aggressive high-grade tumors is an event of major clinical significance, eventually leading to death in the majority of LGG patients. While patients with primary glioblastoma (GBM) have benefited from increased overall survival due to treatment with the alkylating chemotherapy temozolomide (TMZ), the benefit of TMZ for patients with diffuse low-grade gliomas (LGG) remains unknown. To further explore the relationships among TMZ treatment, hypermutation and malignant progression, we studied tumor evolution in an expanded cohort of untreated and TMZ-treated patients by exome-sequencing of paired IDH1/2-mutant LGGs and their post-TMZ recurrences. Together, these findings further our understanding of the molecular features and clinical behavior of hypermutated clones. The heterogeneity present in individual tumors, i.e. intratumoral heterogeneity (ITH), is thought to be a major reason why targeted treatments eventually fail. However, we know little about ITH in most human tumors because studies typically analyze one biopsy per tumor without knowledge of where in the tumor the sample was taken. Understanding how malignant and non-malignant cellular populations are distributed in 3D tumor space is foundational knowledge for resolving how human tumors grow, with translational implications for identifying representative biopsy specimens and predicting the impact of targeted therapy. Diffuse gliomas are incurable brain tumors with variably aggressive molecular subtypes. To determine the extent of ITH and its 3D organization in diffuse glioma, we prospectively collected a median of 10 spatially mapped samples from newly diagnosed and recurrent patient tumors, including aggressive canonical IDH1/IDH2 wild-type (IDH-wtc) glioblastoma, slower-growing IDH1/IDH2 mutant (IDHmut) glioma and a noncanonical IDH-wt glioblastoma (IDH-wtnc) lacking the TERT promoter mutation typical of canonical Glioblastoma.

  Study phs002034

• Longitudinal Study of Immune Mediated Disorders After Allogenic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation (HCT)

  Allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) is the only known curative option for many hematologic disorders. After transplantation, many patients develop immune mediated disorders that may be life-threatening. Post-HCT immune mediated disorders are rare relative to other diseases but the prototype of graft versus host disease (GVHD) develops in 30-70% of patients. The morbidity and mortality associated with these HCT-associated immune mediated disorders are major barriers to successful use of transplantation to cure rare hematologic malignancies such as leukemia, lymphoma, multiple myeloma, myelodysplastic/myeloproliferative syndromes amongst other diseases. The purpose of this study is to characterize and more completely define the onset and course of immune mediated disorders after allogeneic HCT, focusing on participants who develop cutaneous sclerosis, bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (BOS), late acute graft-vs.-host disease (GVHD), and chronic GVHD. Of the participants undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT), can we, the researchers better identify who will develop immune-mediated disorders, what types of disorders participants will have, and whether these disorders will be severe or respond to currently available therapies? This is a longitudinal study of 1118 individuals (1081 adults and 100 children). Those participating in this study will be evaluated over a 3 year period at 9 study sites. Participants will be enrolled pre-transplant, or up to day 121 post transplantation. This wide enrollment window will allow sites to use recruitment methods that are most efficient at their institutions. At least 2 years of follow-up will ensure an adequate sample size, and sufficient time for observation of the full spectrum of immune mediated disorders. The data of 1023 individuals have been submitted to dbGaP.

  Study phs001331

• Study of Osteoporotic Fractures (SOF)

  The Study of Osteoporotic Fractures (SOF) is a prospective multicenter study of risk factors for vertebral and non vertebral fractures. The cohort is comprised of 9704 community-dwelling women 65 years old or older recruited from populations-based listings in four U.S. areas: Baltimore, Maryland; Minneapolis, Minnesota; Portland, Oregon; and the Monongahela Valley, Pennsylvania. Women enrolled in the study were 99% Caucasian with African American women initially excluded from the study due to their low incidence of hip fractures. (A cohort of AA women was recruited at the 6th Visit.) The SOF participants were followed up every four months by postcard or telephone to ascertain the occurrence of falls, fractures and changes in address. To date, follow-up rates have exceeded 95% for vital status and fractures. All fractures are validated by x-ray reports or in the case of most hip fractures, a review of pre-operative radiographs. Blood samples were collected in 6795 women at their Year 2 exam (Visit 2) and with written consent for use of DNA in genetic studies. Of these, we have GWAS data on 3625 Caucasian participants. As a separate study, the SOF Osteoarthritis Project was funded separately to collect data about risk factors for osteoarthritis (OA) and analyze baseline hip and hand films for the presence and severity of OA. Raw GWAS data is housed at the study's coordinating center and not released as part of the dbGaP release. The raw data can be requested from the study's coordinating center. Only QC cleaned PLINK files are available at dbGaP. Auxiliary files are also available for duplicates and HapMap participants.

  Study phs000510

• Genomic Studies of Bipolar Disorder in a Large Cohort from The Netherlands

  The transcriptomes of whole blood samples of a large cohort of individuals from the Netherlands were assayed using RNA-seq. These whole blood samples included patients diagnosed with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, family members of patients, and healthy controls. Within the whole blood dataset, about 600 of the samples were sequenced to an average of 13.9 million mapped reads per sample, while about 2,000 were sequenced to an average of 5.9 million mapped reads per sample, in order to assess changes in power to detect eQTLs based on sample size. We find that expression, defined as the log transcripts per million reads (TPMs), is highly correlated when comparing the moderate (13.9M) and lower (5.9M) coverage datasets. Additionally, a subset of about 150 individuals provided fibroblast cell lines which were assessed for the levels of gene expression using RNA-seq at an average of 50 million mapped reads per sample. We use downsampling techniques to generate synthetic datasets derived from this real fibroblast RNA-Seq data to explore the relationship between coverage and number individuals in an eQTL analysis. Corresponding individual-level genotypes for the samples included in the expression matrix are also made available. The genotypes were derived from multiple other project cohorts, each using different genotyping platforms including OmniExpress Exome, Global Screening Array, Illumina550, and PsychChip. A Plink file set of these cohorts is provided here after merging the separate project file sets and extracting only the individuals who have expression data also provided here; quality control for SNP-missingness is recommended. We demonstrate in this study that given a fixed budget, eQTL discovery power can be increased by lowering the sequencing depth per sample to allow for an a greater number of individuals sequenced. 

  Study phs002856

• PROstate Cancer Medically Optimized Genome Enhanced ThErapy (PROMOTE) of Castration Resistant Prostate Cancer (CRPC) Patients Treated with Abiraterone Acetate

  The Prostate Cancer Medically Optimized Genome-Enhanced Therapy (PROMOTE) study uses genetic clues in castration-resistant prostate cancer that may identify an individualized treatment approach for men with the disease. Understanding the molecular biology behind castration-resistant prostate cancer has led to more treatment options, but there are still no definite conclusions about which specific drug best treats patients - maximum suppression of cancer growth while minimizing side effects. The PROMOTE study explores the genetic characteristics of each tumor to predict these treatment paradigms for the future, resulting in more effective and less toxic options for patients. Our long-term goal is to improve treatments for men with advanced prostate cancer by using genomic sequencing to increase life span and quality of life. We also will uncover novel vulnerable targets in the cancer genome that may provide new drug therapies. PARTICIPATION Eligible participants are men: With castration-resistant prostate cancer or prostate cancer not responding to hormone treatments About to begin abiraterone acetate therapy Agreeable to undergoing two tumor biopsies During the study, participants travel to Mayo Clinic for an initial biopsy (before beginning abiraterone acetate) and a second biopsy approximately three months later. The cell tissue collected is analyzed to identify gene alterations in the tumor that could eventually be targeted with treatments. Tissue is preserved for future research. Participants can continue to be treated by their local cancer care team during this period and beyond. In addition, the Mayo team carefully monitors participants' cancer via follow-up studies and the genetic signature of tumors that were biopsied so that patients may benefit from future treatments.

  Study phs001141

• Addictions: Genotypes, Polymorphisms, and Function/Human Genetic Correlates of Addictive Diseases

  Drug addiction continues to be a major medical and social problem. It is estimated that one million or more persons in the United States are currently addicted to heroin or prescription opioids, with millions more worldwide. Cocaine addiction and alcohol dependence are frequent comorbid conditions in persons with heroin/opioid dependence in addition to being major primary addictions. Many studies over the past thirty years have shown that these drugs disrupt physiologic systems, and that these disruptions may contribute to drug addiction and alcohol dependence and to relapse to drug or alcohol abuse following withdrawal and abstinence. Clinical observations suggest that individuals differ in their response to heroin, cocaine, and alcohol; however, little is known about specific underlying hereditary genetic factors which might influence individual susceptibility to the addictive properties of these substances. Studies also suggest that both common and distinct heritable factors account for the genetic variance in the susceptibility to the separate addictive diseases. We hypothesize that there is a heritable as well as environmental basis for the acquisition and persistence of, and relapse to, specific addictive diseases. Using samples from individuals without and with opioid and other specific drug dependence diagnoses and psychiatric comorbidities, genetic analyses will be used to determine association and linkage. All study subjects will be extensively characterized with respect to the addictive diseases, medical history, family medical addictive disease history; psychiatric comorbidity, and psychological profile, as well as ethnic/cultural background. A better understanding of the consequences of genetic contributions with respect to protection from, or susceptibility to, heroin/opioid addiction and related codependencies and comorbid conditions, could have enormous importance in both prevention and treatment of this problem.

  Study phs001109

• NHLBI: Genetic modifiers of sickle cell anemia severity and fetal hemoglobin expression in the Cooperative Study of Sickle Cell Disease (CSSCD)

  Phenotypic heterogeneity is characteristic of sickle cell anemia, a Mendelian disorder caused by homozygosity for the sickle HBB gene (glu6val). Patients have different rates of hemolysis/vasculopathy and viscosity/vasoocclusion-related complications. These complications account for a substantial reduction in life expectancy. In 1994, the median life expectancy for men and women with sickle cell anemia was 42 and 48 years, respectively, and despite many advances in care, the annual mortality still approaches 4%. Fetal hemoglobin (HbF) is one of the most studied markers of severity of sickle cell anemia, and detailed longitudinal measurements were taken on subjects enrolled in the Cooperative Study of Sickle Cell Disease (CSSCD). Cubic root transformation of the median values from follow-up in 848 African American subjects is the phenotype data used in the GWAS of fetal hemoglobin. The analysis was adjusted by sex. Details are in Solovieff et al., Blood 2010 [PMID: 20018918]. To integrate individual disease complications into a comprehensive measure of severity, we developed a model of the associations among clinical and laboratory variables that scored disease severity as the risk of death within 5 years. This network was developed using data obtained from more than 3,400 subjects from the CSSCD, and its accuracy was validated in two unrelated sets of sickle cell patients. Recently, the network was also validated in a small European cohort of patients with sickle cell anemia. We used extreme values of disease severity as cases and control in the GWAS of severity of sickle cell anemia. We conducted the GWAS in 1,265 patients with either "severe" (177) or "mild" disease (1088) based on a network model of disease severity. Details are in Sebastiani et al. Am J Hematol, 2010 [PMID: 20029952].

  Study phs000366

• Genetic Epidemiology Network of Arteriopathy (GENOA)

  The Genetic Epidemiology Network of Arteriopathy (GENOA) is one of four networks in the NHLBI Family-Blood Pressure Program (FBPP). GENOA's long-term objective is to elucidate the genetics of target organ complications of hypertension, including both atherosclerotic and arteriolosclerotic complications involving the heart, brain, kidneys, and peripheral arteries. The longitudinal GENOA Study recruited European-American and African-American sibships with at least 2 individuals with clinically diagnosed essential hypertension before age 60 years. All other members of the sibship were invited to participate regardless of their hypertension status. Participants were diagnosed with hypertension if they had either 1) a previous clinical diagnosis of hypertension by a physician with current anti-hypertensive treatment, or 2) an average systolic blood pressure ≥ 140 mm Hg or diastolic blood pressure ≥ 90 mm Hg based on the second and third readings at the time of their clinic visit. The Family Blood Pressure Program (FBPP), GENOA's parent program, is an unprecedented collaboration to identify genes influencing blood pressure (BP) levels, hypertension, and its target-organ damage. This program has conducted over 21,000 physical examinations, assembled a shared database of several hundred BP and hypertension-related phenotypic measurements, completed genome-wide linkage analyses for BP, hypertension, and hypertension associated risk factors and complications, and published over 130 manuscripts on program findings. The FBPP emerged from what was initially funded as four independent networks of investigators (HyperGEN, GenNet, SAPPHIRe and GENOA) competing to identify genetic determinants of hypertension in multiple ethnic groups. Realizing the greater likelihood of success through collaboration, the investigators created a single confederation with program-wide and network-specific goals.

  Study phs001238

• Systems Analysis of the PfSPZ Vaccine in Kenyan Infants

  The PfSPZ vaccine is a candidate vaccine targeting the Plasmodium falciparum parasite, which is the cause of the most lethal type of human malaria. This study used de-identified blood samples collected from 316 infants aged 5 to 12 months (inclusive) enrolled in a Phase 2, randomized, placebo-controlled trial (NCT02687373) of the PfSPZ malaria vaccine, conducted in a region of western Kenya where malaria transmission is high and perennial. The study began in July, 2016, after peak malaria transmission, and was completed in August, 2018. In this study, three doses of the PfSPZ Vaccine (4.5x105 PfSPZ, 9.0x105 PfSPZ, and 1.8x106 PfSPZ) were tested against a normal saline placebo comparator. In all four groups, doses were administered in 3 doses at 0, 8, and 16 weeks by direct venous inoculation. Vaccine efficacy was determined at 3, 6, and 12 months of follow-up after the third immunization. RNA was extracted from whole blood collected in PAXgene tubes before PfSPZ immunization, and two weeks after the third (final) dose, from 262 children for which sufficient material was available at both time points (82% of 316 enrolled children; 525 samples). RNA was depleted of globin and ribosome transcripts before library generation and sequencing on the Illumina NovaSeq platform. RNA-seq expression data was analyzed to determine blood transcriptional signatures, before and after PfSPZ vaccine immunization, that predicts sterile protection from naturally occurring P. falciparum infection or delayed parasitemia at 3 months post-immunization. Gene expression data will also be correlated to P. falciparum-specific IgG antibody and cellular responses to identify possible molecular correlates of vaccine-induced immunogenicity

  Study phs002196

• Kids First Pediatric Research Study in Familial Predisposition to Hematopoietic Malignancies (SJFAMILY-HM)

  The Gabriella Miller Kids First Pediatric Research Program (Kids First) is a trans-NIH effort initiated in response to the 2014 Gabriella Miller Kids First Research Act and supported by the NIH Common Fund. This program focuses on gene discovery in pediatric cancers and structural birth defects and the development of the Gabriella Miller Kids First Pediatric Data Resource (Kids First Data Resource). All of the WGS and phenotypic data from this study are accessible through dbGaP and kidsfirstdrc.org, where other Kids First datasets can also be accessed. Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the commonest childhood tumor and a leading cause of cancer death in children, adolescents and young adults. Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphoma are also important hematologic malignancies (HM) that occur in children. Each are genetic diseases with growing evidence for a germline predisposition of both familial and sporadic cases, however the inherited genetic basis of ALL/lymphoma are poorly understood. Such knowledge is essential to gain mechanistic insight into the basis of tumor formation, and to guide genetic counseling and genetic management. Here we have assembled a large collection of familial HM kindreds, and extended recurrence cohorts of ALL and HL which will be used to identify the genetic basis of familial HM, examine the frequency of germline variants in sporadic ALL and HL, and to integrate inherited and somatic genomic data. These studies have high potential to provide fundamental new insights into the inherited genetic basis of HM, to provide important information to guide clinical management, and to provide an invaluable public resource of genomic data.

  Study phs001738

• Columbia University Study of Caribbean Hispanics with Familial and Sporadic Late Onset Alzheimer's disease

  Compared to Caucasians residing in the same community the incidence rate of Alzheimer's disease is approximately twice as high in Caribbean Hispanics. Moreover, Caribbean Hispanics represent a homogenous population with only a few founders. Replication of genetic associations in other ethnic groups provides supporting evidence that a putative gene is involved in the disease pathogenesis, and when different allelic variants within the same genes are associated with disease it can help to localize the pathogenic variant. SORL1 is an example of a candidate gene that was first identified in Hispanics and then confirmed in multiple ethnic and racial groups in a meta-analysis. For this project, we are genotyping 704 individuals in families multiply affected by Alzheimer's disease (166 families). These families were recruited in the United States, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. In addition, we are genotyping 2491 individuals (960 patients with sporadic Alzheimer's disease and 1531 unrelated controls) phenotyped in a similar fashion totaling 3195 individuals. Both cohorts are followed at regular intervals of 18 to 24 months, and potential phenotypes available other than those related to Alzheimer's disease include body mass index, measured blood pressure, neurological history and examinations. More importantly, both studies are funded through 2014 and additional phenotypes could be added in successive waves. We propose a genome wide association (GWA) study of Alzheimer's disease and longitudinal changes in cognition and other age-related neurological and medical phenotypes. The goal will be to identify the chromosomal locations of genes underlying this disease and its related endophenotypes.

  Study phs000496

• Integration of Genomics and Transcriptomics in unselected Twins and in Major Depression

  Our goals are to develop a comprehensive understanding of the genomics of transcription in a population based unselected sample and to discover DNA and RNA biomarkers for major depressive disorder (MDD). This work is essential to developing a more complete understanding of the biological basis of MDD, a common complex trait associated with considerable morbidity, mortality, and personal/societal cost. All biological samples have been collected from well-defined populations, and are now available. First, we conduct a "genetical genomics" or eQTL study of ~800 MZ and ~800DZ twin pairs. Each subject has been assayed for genome-wide SNPs and CNVs and gene expression from peripheral blood sampled under standardized conditions. We determine the genetic architecture (genetic and non-genetic proportions of variance via twin analyses) for every transcript, and the genome-wide associations (i.e., SNP-transcript eQTL pairs). These analyses will be expanded to consider transcriptional modules. The key deliverable is a detailed catalogue of the general and specific architecture of transcription plus raw intensity files. Second, we seek to discover DNA and RNA biomarkers relevant to MDD, capitalizing on the results of a large MDD study with repeated clinical and biological assessments; we have previously shown that PB is a reasonable proxy for CNS expression and employ an advanced modelling framework: (a) Using baseline data, we identify biomarkers for MDD by comparing ~1000 controls with ~1400 MDD cases via comparisons of SNP, CNV, expression transcripts, and transcriptional modules. (b) Using longitudinal data, we contrast gene expression signatures assessed at baseline and two years later in ~200 controls and ~500 MDD cases.

  Study phs000486

• NHLBI TOPMed: Genetic Epidemiology Network of Arteriopathy (GENOA)

  The Genetic Epidemiology Network of Arteriopathy (GENOA) is one of four networks in the NHLBI Family-Blood Pressure Program (FBPP). GENOA's long-term objective is to elucidate the genetics of target organ complications of hypertension, including both atherosclerotic and arteriolosclerotic complications involving the heart, brain, kidneys, and peripheral arteries. The longitudinal GENOA Study recruited European-American and African-American sibships with at least 2 individuals with clinically diagnosed essential hypertension before age 60 years. All other members of the sibship were invited to participate regardless of their hypertension status. Participants were diagnosed with hypertension if they had either 1) a previous clinical diagnosis of hypertension by a physician with current anti-hypertensive treatment, or 2) an average systolic blood pressure = 140 mm Hg or diastolic blood pressure = 90 mm Hg based on the second and third readings at the time of their clinic visit. Only participants of the African-American Cohort were sequenced through TOPMed. The Family Blood Pressure Program (FBPP), GENOA's parent program, is an unprecedented collaboration to identify genes influencing blood pressure (BP) levels, hypertension, and its target-organ damage. This program has conducted over 21,000 physical examinations, assembled a shared database of several hundred BP and hypertension-related phenotypic measurements, completed genome-wide linkage analyses for BP, hypertension, and hypertension associated risk factors and complications, and published over 130 manuscripts on program findings. The FBPP emerged from what was initially funded as four independent networks of investigators (HyperGEN, GenNet, SAPPHIRe and GENOA) competing to identify genetic determinants of hypertension in multiple ethnic groups. Realizing the greater likelihood of success through collaboration, the investigators created a single confederation with program-wide and network-specific goals. Comprehensive phenotypic data for GENOA study participants are available through dbGaP phs001238.

  Study phs001345

• Hispanic Community Health Study /Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL)

  The Hispanic Community Health Study / Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL) is a multi-center epidemiologic study in Hispanic/Latino populations to determine the role of acculturation in the prevalence and development of disease, and to identify risk factors playing a protective or harmful role in Hispanics/Latinos. The study is sponsored by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) and six other institutes, centers, and offices of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The goals of the HCHS/SOL include studying the prevalence and development of disease in Hispanics/Latinos, including the role of acculturation, and identifying disease risk factors that play protective or harmful roles in Hispanics/Latinos. A total of 16,415 persons of Cuban, Dominican, Mexican, Puerto Rican, Central American, and South American backgrounds were recruited through four Field Centers affiliated with San Diego State University, Northwestern University in Chicago, Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx area of New York, and the University of Miami. Seven additional academic centers serve as scientific and logistical support centers. Study participants aged 18-74 years took part in an extensive clinic exam and assessments to ascertain socio-demographic, cultural, environmental and biomedical characteristics. Annual follow-up interviews are conducted to determine a range of health outcomes. The HCHS SOL Cohort is utilized in the following dbGaP sub-studies. To view genotypes, other molecular data, and derived variables collected in these sub-studies, please click on the following sub-studies below or in the "Sub-studies" section of this top-level study page phs000810 HCHS SOL Cohort. phs000555 PAGE CALiCo SOL phs000880 HCHS/SOL Omics in Latinos (Ola)

  Study phs000810

• Genomic Answers for Kids (GA4K)

  Identification of complex genetic variants including defects in gene regulatory circuits and uncharacterized genes present challenges for rare disease diagnosis. In Genomic Answers for Kids program we apply the joint interpretation of patient genome sequence with genomic endophenotypes to expand the clinically actionable genome among pediatric cases of suspected genetic disease. Our objective is to examine the role of novel and under-interpreted sequence variation by combining complete DNA sequences, personal epigenetic variations and massively parallel functional screens. To achieve this we perform augmented whole genome sequence (WGS) interpretation including reanalysis of clinical exomes as well as generating WGS for patients with negative exome results all be subject to family-based semi-automated recall pipeline to discover missed diagnostic variation. We use linked-read and long-read sequencing technologies to focus on putative structural variants missed in short-read genome and exome analysis by the optimized integration of linked and long read technologies that also improve identification of transmission patterns of all variants, as well as resolving genomic regions resistant to standard alignment. We also include tissue DNA sequencing to investigate somatic mosaicism. To further assist with WGS interpretation for uncommon variation we capture snapshots of patient transcriptomes and epigenomes in individual cells using single-cell RNA (scRNA) and sc open chromatin (scATAC) as well as bulk whole genome bisulphite genome sequencing for methylome interpretation. Alternative splicing is functionally assessed in available patient tissues using RNA-seq, including full length cDNA sequences by IsoSeq (PacBio) methodology. Our overarching goal is an increase rate of diagnostic genomic findings up to two-fold among rare disease, resulting in the majority (>50%) of patient cases resolved by the integrated system developed in our program.

  Study phs002206

• Genomic Profiling of Pediatric B-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

  Pediatric leukemia is the most common type of childhood cancer and, despite tremendous progress in treatment, remains the second leading cause of cancer deaths in children. B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) is the most common type of pediatric leukemia. Recent studies using transcriptional profiling of large cohorts of pediatric B-ALL have shown that patients can be grouped into transcriptional subtypes that are often defined by specific driver mutations. Interestingly, many of these mutational subtypes are defined by gene fusions or rearrangements that drive altered expression of transcription factors (ETV6-RUNX1, PAX5, DUX4, TCF3-PBX1, ZNF384) or in chromatin regulatory machinery (KMT2A), suggesting that transcriptional dysregulation is a major driver of B-ALL. While the transcriptional distinctions are clear, the relationship between patients in terms of their chromatin regulatory landscape remains unclear. To address this, we profiled gene expression, open chromatin, and 3D genome folding in patient derived B-ALL samples. We identified that at the level of 3D genome organization, many chromatin interactions and looping events are shared across mutational subtypes, suggesting that shared transcriptional programs, in addition to group specific driver mutations, possibly regulate the chromatin landscape in B-ALL. Using RNA-seq and ATAC-seq data, we were able to identify "latent" signatures of expression related to non-mutant transcription factors (TFs) that also contribute to expression heterogeneity across TF subtypes. These are related to patient specific patterns of 3D genome folding, and in some cases, are predictive of disease outcomes. This study helps shed light on the chromatin landscape in B-ALL and furthers our understanding of the interactions between diverse mutant TFs that drive B-ALL and non-mutant TFs that help shape the B-ALL chromatin landscape.

  Study phs003226

• MUSIC: Long-TerM OUtcomes after the Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome In Children

  This study is an observational cohort study that will use routinely-collected clinical and cardiac (EKG, echocardiogram, CMR, exercise testing) data to assess the association between MIS-C (multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children) and cardiac outcomes within the first year after hospital discharge. Research funding will be available for EKGs, echocardiograms and MRIs in protocol windows that are not ordered by primary caregivers. Our principal goal is to determine the spectrum and early time course of coronary artery involvement, LV systolic function, and arrhythmias or conduction system abnormalities, and, using these data, to define associated clinical and laboratory factors. We will include all eligible patients, including retrospective cases beginning January 1, 2020, with follow-up (in-person or telehealth) up to one year and annual medical history forms until up to 5 years have elapsed since illness onset. Because many patients will have been identified by retrospective review, we will obtain consent at different times in their illness course. For this reason, it may be hard to reach some patients and their families. Waiver of consent will be obtained after three attempts have been made to locate the patient and family without success, as well as for the rare child who dies before informed consent can be obtained. We will include a HIPAA-compliant cryptographic algorithm to create a sharable “hashed” identifier from patient information. If blood work for research purposes is added to usual clinically-indicated blood work during follow-up visits, this will be covered by other informed consent forms. Our primary outcomes are the largest proximal Left Anterior Descending Coronary Artery (LAD) or Right Coronary Artery (RCA) z score and lowest Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction (LVEF).

  Study phs002770

• Involvement of the FGF8/FGF Receptor Signaling Pathway in the Maintenance and Progression of Fusion-Positive Rhabdomyosarcoma

  In our previous work, we used a myoblast model of fusion-positive rhabdomyosarcoma (FP-RMS) to demonstrate that FGF8, a target of the PAX3-FOXO1 (P3F) transcription factor, is essential for tumorigenicity driven by P3F. When aberrantly expressed, FGF8 can also sustain tumorigenicity in recurrent tumors that are independent of P3F. In this study, we report that FGF8, along with its receptors FGFR1 and FGFR4, is often highly expressed in FP-RMS tumors. We found that high levels of FGF8 expression in FP-RMS cells correlate with increased sensitivity to an FGFR4 inhibitor and a pan-FGFR inhibitor. Conversely, downregulating FGF8 led to a loss of sensitivity to these inhibitors. Interestingly, when FGF8 was upregulated in myoblasts, it resulted in decreased FGFR4 expression and sensitized the cells to an FGFR1 inhibitor and a pan-FGFR inhibitor. The downregulation of FGFR4 expression mediated by FGF8 could be reversed by inhibiting FGFR1, MEK, or ERK, thereby defining a signaling pathway through which FGF8 exerts its regulatory effects. Additionally, we discovered that high FGF8 expression in P3F-independent recurrent tumors is due to a rearrangement of viral long terminal repeat (LTR) sequences into the 3' untranslated region (UTR) of FGF8, leading to increased stability of FGF8 mRNA. These findings indicate that FGF8 plays an oncogenic role in FP-RMS through FGFR4 and may also exert oncogenic effects in P3F-independent relapses via FGFR1. Our study highlights the functional significance of FGF8 in FP-RMS and supports the rationale for preclinical investigations of FGFR inhibitors in treating this type of cancer.

  Study phs004009

• mutation analysys of Gorlin syndrome

  Gorlin syndrome is a genetic disorder of autosomal dominant inheritance that predisposes the affected individual to a variety of disorders that are attributed largely to heterozygous germline patched1 (PTCH1) mutations. PTCH1 is a hedgehog (Hh) receptor as well as a repressor, mutation of which leads to constitutive activation of Hh pathway. Hh pathway encompasses a wide variety of cellular signaling cascades, which involve several molecules; however, no associated genotype?phenotype correlations have been reported. Recently, mutations in Suppressor of fused homolog (SUFU) or PTCH2 were reported in patients with Gorlin syndrome. These facts suggest that multi-layered mutations in Hh pathway may contribute to the development of Gorlin syndrome. We demonstrated multiple mutations of Hh-related genes in addition to PTCH1, which possibly act in an additive or multiplicative manner and lead to Gorlin syndrome. High-throughput sequencing was performed to analyze exome sequences in four unrelated Gorlin syndrome patient genomes. Mutations in PTCH1 gene were detected in all four patients. Specific nucleotide variations or frameshift variations of PTCH1 were identified along with the inferred amino acid changes in all patients. We further filtered 84 different genes which are closely related to Hh signaling. Fifty three of these had enough coverage of over ?30. The sequencing results were filtered and compared to reduce the number of sequence variants identified in each of the affected individuals. We discovered three genes, PTCH2, BOC, and WNT9b, with mutations with a predicted functional impact assessed by MutationTaster2 or PolyPhen-2 (Polymorphism Phenotyping v2) analysis. It is noticeable that PTCH2 and BOC are Hh receptor molecules. No significant mutations were observed in SUFU. Multi-layered mutations in Hh pathway may change the activation level of the Hh signals, which may explain the wide phenotypic variability of Gorlin syndrome.

  Study JGAS000099

• The light chain IgLV3-21 defines a new poor prognostic subgroup in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia: results from a multicenter study

  Purpose: Unmutated (UM) immunoglobulin heavy chain region (IgHV) status or IgHV3-21 gene usage is associated with poor prognosis in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Interestingly, IgHV3-21 is often co-expressed with light chain IgLV3-21 which is potentially able to trigger cell-autonomous BCR-mediated signaling. However this light chain has never been characterized independently of the heavy chain IgHV3-21.Experimental Design: we performed total RNA sequencing to characterize IgLV3-21 patients (n=32) and investigated IgLV3-21 prognostic impact in terms of treatment-free (TFS) and overall (OS) survival in 3 other independent cohorts for a total of 813 patients where IgLV3-21 presence was tested by real-time PCR and confirmed by Sanger sequencing.Results: Using total RNA sequencing to characterize 32 patients with high-risk CLL, we found a high frequency (28%) of IgLV3-21 rearrangements. Gene set enrichment analysis revealed that these patients present higher expression of genes responsible for ribosome biogenesis and translation initiation (P<0.0001) and MYC target genes (P=0.0003). Patients with IgLV3-21 rearrangements displayed a significantly shorter TFS and OS (P<0.05), in particular in IgHV mutated patients. In each of the 3 independent validation cohorts (n=813), we showed that IgLV3-21 rearrangements -similar to UM IgHV status- conferred poor prognosis compared to mutated IgHV (P<0.0001). Importantly, we confirmed in multivariate analysis that this was independent of IgHV mutational status or subset #2 stereotyped receptor (P<0.0001). Conclusions: We therefore demonstrate for the first time that a light chain can impact on CLL prognosis and that IgLV3-21 light chain usage defines a new poor prognostic subgroup in CLL.

  Study EGAS00001002894

• Are children born after medical assisted reproduction at greater risk of having an increased de novo mutation rate?

  Introduction: De novo mutations (DNMs) play a prominent role in sporadic disorders with reduced fitness such as infertility and intellectual disability. Advanced paternal age is known to increase disease risk in offspring by increasing the number of DNMs in their genome. Less is known about the effect of assisted reproduction techniques (ART) on the number of DNMs in offspring. With the on-going trend of delayed parenthood more children are now born both from older fathers and through ART. Materials and Methods: We investigated 49 trios (mother, father and child) and 2 quartets (mother, father and 2 siblings) divided into children born after spontaneous conception (n=18); born after in vitro fertilisation (IVF) (n=17) and born after intracytoplasmic sperm injection combined with testicular sperm extraction (ICSI-TESE) (n=18). Groups further divided by paternal age, young (<35) or old (>45 years of age at conception). Whole-genome sequencing was performed twice to independently detect and validate all DNMs in children. Results: A clear paternal age effect was observed, with 70 DNMs detected on average in children born to young fathers and 94 DNMs in those born to older fathers (p = 0.001). No significant differences were observed between different methods of conception (p = 1) with paternal age affecting all methods equally. Conclusions: Paternal age, not method of conception, had a major effect on the observed number of DNMs in offspring. Given the role DNMs in disease risk, this negative result is good news for IVF and ICSI-TESE born children, if replicated in larger cohorts.

  Study EGAS00001005569

• Stromal-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition induces drug resistance in acute lymphoblastic leukemia

  Bone marrow (BM) microenvironment-induced drug resistance in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is thought to be mediated by intercellular interaction of leukemic cells with BM niches, but the mechanistic basis of resistance is poorly understood. Here, we genomic and functional analyses, we show that ALL-BM mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) interactions encompass direct cell-cell adhesion via integrin α4β1, uni-directional secretion of soluble factors from MSC to ALL, and bidirectional transfer of cellular vesicles through tunneling nanotubes. We show that this crosstalk drives an epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-like program in ALL cells adhering to MSC, thereby triggering stem cell-like features including drug resistance and survival advantage. Moreover, single-cell RNA sequencing of cell line and primary ALL samples identified a hybrid cell state derived from B-ALL adhered to MSC, that exhibits both B-ALL and MSC gene signatures that are orchestrated by an EMT-like program. Multiple EMT-activating pathways including WNT/β-catenin, cytokine/STAT3, TGFβ, NOTCH1, and NF-κB-dependent signaling pathways are activated in MSC-adherent ALL cells; however, only the inhibition of either WNT/β-catenin or cytokine/STAT3 pathway could attenuate the survival and drug resistance of ALL cells adherent to MSC. Notably, we identified that this hybrid cell state exhibited elevated WNT/β-catenin-mediated transcriptional activity. Finally, we show that blocking of the interaction of β-catenin and CBP interaction abrogates the survival and drug resistance of ALL cells adhered to MSC, indicating that targeting of an EMT-like program is potential therapeutic regimen in targeting cell extrinsically acquired drug resistance in ALL.

  Study EGAS00001006120

• Whole genome and transcriptome analysis of a sporadic and recurring parathyroid carcinoma

  Parathyroid carcinoma is an extremely rare endocrine malignancy with an estimated incidence of less than 1 per million population. Excessive secretion of parathyroid hormone, extremely high serum calcium level and the deleterious effects of hypercalcemia are the clinical manifestations of the disease. Up to 60% of patients develop multiple disease recurrences and although long-term survival is possible with palliative surgery, permanent remission is rarely achieved. Molecular drivers of sporadic parathyroid carcinoma have remained largely unknown. Previous studies, mostly based on familial cases of the disease, suggested a potential role for the tumor suppressor MEN1 and proto-oncogene RET in benign parathyroid tumorigenesis while the tumor suppressor HRPT2 and proto-oncogene CCND1 may also act as drivers in parathyroid cancer. Here, we report the complete genomic analysis of a sporadic and recurring parathyroid carcinoma. Mutational landscapes of the primary and recurrent tumor specimens were analyzed using high throughput sequencing technologies. Such molecular profiling allowed for identification of somatic mutations never previously identified in this malignancy. These included single nucleotide point mutations in well characterized cancer genes such as mTOR, MLL2, CDKN2C and PIK3CA. Comparison of acquired mutations in patient-matched primary and recurrent tumors revealed loss of PIK3CA activating mutation during the evolution of the tumor from the primary to the recurrence. Structural variations leading to gene fusions and regions of copy loss and gain were identified at a single-base resolution. Loss of short arm of chromosome 1 along with somatic mis-sense and truncating mutations in CDKN2C and THRAP3, respectively, provide new evidence for the potential role of these genes as tumor suppressors in parathyroid cancer. The key somatic mutations indentified in this study can serve as novel diagnostic markers as well as therapeutic targets.

  Study EGAS00001000484

• Systems biology of Colorectal Cancer

  Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common cancers in both males and females, and it is perhaps the best understood of all epithelial tumors in terms of its molecular origin. Yet, despite large amount of work that has concentrated on understanding of colon tumorigenesis, we still do not know the full complement of molecular lesions that are individually necessary – and together sufficient – to cause colorectal cancer. Neither do we understand why some specific mutations that are relatively rare in other tumors (e.g. loss of the APC tumor suppressor) are extremely common in colorectal cancer. We propose here to use the tools of systems biology to develop a quantitative and comprehensive model of colorectal tumorigenesis. The model will include identification of cell-type specific and oncogenic pathways that contribute to colon tumorigenesis, and explain in molecular detail how a genotype of an individual CRC leads to activation of downstream genes that drive uncontrolled cell growth. This model will subsequently be used to find novel therapeutic targets, to guide genetic screening to identify individuals with elevated risk for developing CRC, and to classify patients into molecular subgroups to select the treatment combination that is optimal for each patient (personalized medicine). The specific objectives of the SYSCOL project are: 1. Identify genetic markers for individual risk using genotyping and sequencing of constitutional DNA from sporadic and familial CRC cases and controls 2. Identify genes and regulatory elements that contribute to colorectal cancer cell growth 3. Use data from Aims 1-2 to develop a quantitative model for colorectal tumorigenesis 4. Apply the model for identification of high-risk individuals, for molecular classification of the disease, and for identification of novel molecular treatment targets

  Study EGAS00001000854

• Evolutionary dynamics of residual disease in human glioblastoma

  Glioblastoma is the most common and aggressive adult brain malignancy against which conventional surgery and chemoradiation provide limited benefit. Even when a good treatment response is obtained, recurrence inevitably occurs either locally (c.80%) or distally (c.20%), driven by cancer clones that are often genomically distinct from those in the primary tumour. Glioblastoma cells display a characteristic infiltrative phenotype, invading the surrounding tissue and often spreading across the whole brain. We hypothesised that cancer cells responsible for relapse reside in two compartments of residual disease that are left behind after treatment: the infiltrated normal brain parenchyma, and the sub-ventricular zone (SVZ). In this model, residual disease subclones diverge early during glioblastoma evolution, may remain dormant in the normal parenchyma and are responsible for recurrence. To test our hypothesis, we performed whole-exome sequencing of 69 multi- region samples collected using fluorescence-guided resection from 11 patients, including the infiltrating tumour margin (M) and the SVZ for each patient, as well as matched blood. We used a phylogenomic approach to dissect the spatio-temporal evolution of each tumour and unveil the relation between residual disease and the main tumour mass. We also analysed two patients with paired primary-recurrence samples with matched residual disease. Our results suggest that the infiltrative phenotype is an early evolutionary trait of glioblastoma, giving rise to the tumour mass detected at surgery. After treatment, the same infiltrative clone may seed the growth of a recurrent tumour, thus representing the ‘missing link’ between the primary tumour and recurrent disease. These results are consistent with recognised clinical phenotypic behaviour and suggest that more specific therapeutic targeting of cells in the infiltrated brain parenchyma may improve patient’s outcome.

  Study EGAS00001003043

• Limited Association between HRR Gene Alterations and HRD in Molecular Tumor Board Cancer Samples: Who should be tested for HRD?

  Alterations in Homologous Recombination Repair (HRR) Pathway genes have been found to be associated with HR-Deficiency (HRD), which is an approved biomarker for PARP Inhibitor (PARPi) treatment. The aim of a Molecular Tumor Board (MTB) is to identify molecular alterations in cancer patients with advanced tumors that may suggest off-label treatment options. So far, few studies have analyzed the presence of HRR gene mutations and their association with HRD outside of clinical studies. Currently, no data on HRD testing in the setting of a MTB have been published. For the present study, a cohort of 237 patients encompassing 24 different tumor entities was collected from the MTB of the Comprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen-EMN. We show that an elevated Genomic Instability Score (GIS ≥ 42) can occur in samples with and without mutations in HRR-related genes. Overall, 38.1% of cancer samples with BRCA1/2 mutations, 10.9% of tumors with alterations in HRR genes other than BRCA1/2, and 4.3% of cancer samples without HRR gene mutations harbored an elevated GIS. Notably, our data show that various inactivating BRCA1/2 mutations are not associated with an elevated GIS. Taken together, panCancer assessment of HRD in addition to BRCA1/2 and other HRR gene mutational analysis is recommended to guide decisions regarding PARPi treatment. Further studies are needed to establish thresholds for GIS in non-ovarian cancer entities. Finally, HRD can be observed in 4.3% of BRCA1/2 and other HRR gene wildtype cancer samples, and may emerge as an independent biomarker for PARPi in the future.

  Study EGAS00001008063

• Exploiting immune cell receptor information to quantify index switching in single cell transcriptome sequencing experiment

  By offering high sequencing speed and ultra-high-throughput at a low price, Illumina next-generation sequencing platforms has been widely adopted in recent years. However, an experiment with multiplexed library could be at risk of molecular recombination, known as “index switching”, which causes certain amount of reads to be assigned to an incorrect library. It is reported that a new advance, exclusion amplification (ExAmp) in conjunction with the patterned flow cell technology introduced on HiSeq 3000/HiSeq 4000/HiSeq X sequencing systems, potentially suffers from a higher rate of index switching than conventional bridge amplification. We took advantage of the diverse but highly cell-unique expression of immune cell receptors to quantify index switching on single cell RNA-seq data that were sequenced on HiSeq 3500 and HiSeq 4000. By utilizing the unique T-cell receptor (TCR) expression, we could quantify the spread-of-signal from many different wells (n=51 from total three batches) due to index switching. We used TraCer to reconstruct full-length TCR from all samples, and then used Kallisto to quantify TCR gene expression. We found index switching in all three batches of experiments investigated. The median percentage of incorrectly detected markers was estimated to be 4.2% (interquartile range (IQR): 2.0%-8.7%). We did not detect any consistent pattern of certain indices to be more prone for switching than others, suggesting that index switching is a stochastic process. We confirm that index switching is a problem that affects all samples run in multiplexed libraries on Illumina HiSeq 3500 and HiSeq 4000 platforms.

  Study EGAS00001002911

• Histone chaperone CHAF1A promotes proliferation and tumorigenicity in gastric cancer and impacts prognosis via context-depedent regulation of gene expression

  The histone chaperone CHAF1A is associated with some tumors, but its mechanisms in tumor biology remain elusive. Gastric cancer (GC) has significant heterogeneity among patients, and novel prognostic markers and therapeutic targets may improve its outcomes. The role of CHAF1A in GC is unknown. In this study, we demonstrated that CHAF1A was overexpressed in GC tissues accompanied by low expression of wild-type P53 and high expression of the proliferation marker MKI67. In vitro, CHAF1A knockdown inhibited cell proliferation, induced cell cycle arrest and promoted apoptosis, while CHAF1A overexpression had contrary effects. In vivo, CHAF1A knockdown inhibited tumorigenicity of GC cells. A microarray assay with CHAF1A inhibition and a PathScan signaling antibody array with CHAF1A overexpression showed that CHAF1A inhibited the P53 pathway, activated stress response and induced glycolytic metabolism. In 665 patients, the expression level of CHAF1A protein was an independent predictor for overall survival and disease-free survival in non-cardia GC and also had survival associations in patients with small or perineural invasion-negative tumors. Tumor mRNA analyses based on next-generation sequencing in patients indicated that CHAF1A promoted the Warburg effect by depressing oxidative phosphorylation and increasing glycolysis. Furthermore, the heterogeneous clinical significance of CHAF1A among patient subgroups was associated with its differential regulation of gene expression involved with glycolysis and cell proliferation and survival, indicating that the role of CHAF1A is depended on patient characteristics. These results reveal critical roles and clinical values for CHAF1A in GC. CHAF1A may have context-dependent effects in GC, which increases understandings for GC heterogeneity.

  Study EGAS00001003064

• Repeat expansions with small TTTCA insertions in MARCHF6 cause Familial Adult Myoclonus without Epilepsy

  Familial Adult Myoclonic Epilepsy (FAME) is a rare autosomal dominant disorder characterized by cortical tremulous myoclonus and generalized tonic clonic (GTCS) or myoclonic seizures. Intrafamilial variability regarding the prevalence of seizure has been reported. Despite apparent genetic heterogeneity, FAME is caused by the same TTTTA/TTTCA pentanucleotide repeat expansion in introns of seven different genes with no common function. Expansions containing only TTTTA repeats are benign, and only expansions including a TTTCA expansion insertion, which can be located 3' to the TTTTA expansion or in the middle of the TTTTA repeats, are pathogenic. We aimed to identify the underlying genetic cause of dominant cortical myoclonus without GTCS in two unrelated families. We used a combination of repeat-primed PCR, long-range PCR and nanopore sequencing to detect and characterize expansions at known FAME loci. We report a novel configuration of the FAME3 repeat expansion in MARCHF6 segregating with cortical myoclonus without epilepsy GTCS in both families. This expansion predominantly comprises elongated TTTTA repeats, ranging from 388 to 454 repeats, with the presence of only 5-11 TTTCA repeats at its 3' terminus (i.e., 5’-(TTTTA)~388-454(TTTCA)5-11-3’). This configuration exhibits greater stability upon meiotic transmission but somatic variability in TTTCA repeat number was detected at low level in blood. We observed an inverse correlation between the number of TTTCA repeats and the age at myoclonus onset. This study shows that as little as five TTTCA juxtaposed with expanded TTTTA expansions is sufficient to cause cortical myoclonus without GTCS. This finding has implications regarding possible pathophysiological mechanisms leading to FAME.

  Study EGAS50000000570

• Genetic diversity and continuity of the population of the UAE

  With high consanguinity rates on the Arabian Peninsula, it would not have been unexpected if the population of the UAE was shown to be relatively homogenous. However, this study of 1,000 UAE nationals, provided a contrasting perspective, one of a relatively heterogeneous population. Located at the apex of Europe, Asia and Africa, the observed diversity could be explained by a plethora of migration patterns since the first Out-of-Africa movement. A strategy to explore the extent of genetic variation of the population of the UAE is presented. The first step involved a comprehensive population stratification study that was instructive for subsequent Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) of suitable representatives (which is described elsewhere). When this UAE data was compared to previous smaller studies from the region, the findings were consistent with a population that is a diverse and admixed group of people. However, rather than sharp and distinctive clusters, a continuous genotype distribution was observed. The analysis showed a continuous gradient of ancestral populations, suggesting that admixture on the south eastern tip of Arabian Peninsula occurred gradually. When visualized using a unique technique that combined admixture ratios and Principal Component Analysis (PCA), unappreciated diversity was revealed while mitigating projection bias of conventional PCA. The analytical strategy used here highlights the complementary nature of data from genotype array and WGS for anthropological studies. Specifically, genotype array data was instructive to select representative subjects for WGS. Furthermore, from the 2.3 million allele frequencies obtained from genotype arrays, we identified 46,481 loci with allele frequencies that were significantly different with respect to other world populations. This comparison of allele frequencies facilitates variant prioritization in common diseases. In addition, these loci bear great potential as biomarkers in anthropological and forensic studies.

  Study EGAS00001004362

• Exploration of coding and non-coding variants in cancer using GenomePaint.

  GenomePaint (https://proteinpaint.stjude.org/genomepaint) is a dynamic visualization platform for whole-genome, whole-exome, transcriptome, and epigenomic data, featuring a novel design that captures the inter-relatedness between DNA variations and RNA expression. Regulatory non-coding variants can be inspected and discovered along with coding variants, and their functional impact further explored by examining 3D genome and/or ChIP-seq data generated from cancer cell lines. Further, GenomePaint correlates mutation and expression patterns with patient outcomes, and can display external data such as adult cancer datasets and user-provided custom tracks. We used GenomePaint to analyze multi-omics data from 3,652 pediatric cancers representing 16 histotypes, and demonstrate the visualization features through examples, including two that led to new insights into oncogenic mechanisms in pediatric cancer. The first is the discovery of a new class of pathogenic recurrent variants that cause aberrant splicing, disrupting the RING domain of CREBBP, a driver gene frequently mutated in relapsed pediatric leukemia. The second is the cis-activation of the MYC oncogene in a subset of B-lineage acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) via duplication of the NOTCH1-MYC enhancer (N-ME), previously discovered only in T-lineage ALL. The regulatory impact of N-ME enhancer amplification was initially confirmed by allelic imbalance in published gene expression and ChIP-seq data and verified by additional Capture-C and fluorescence in situ hybridization data generated by follow-up experiments. These examples demonstrate the power of GenomePaint in enabling not only data visualization but also integrative genomic analysis that can lead to novel biological insight for follow-up experimental validation.

  Study EGAS00001004669

• Identification of the dismal subtype of B-ALL with dysregulation of CDX2 and UBTF

  PURPOSE: Advance in the knowledge of genomic basis of B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) has changed the treatment approaches and diagnostic assays and improved their outcome. Despite the recent development of next generation sequencing approaches, there are still some cases that their drivers are unknown. We aimed to define and describe the characteristics of an additional B-ALL subtype by integrating genomic, transcriptomic, and epigenomic approach. METHODS: More than 2,000 B-ALL cases of RNA-seq data from from Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) and the American College of Radiology Imaging Network (ACRIN) (n=764), the Children's Oncology Group (COG), Munich Leukemia Laboratory (MLL) (n=280), and other several collaborators were analyzed to identify the new subtype. Whole genome sequence was performed to detect mutations, stractural variants, and copy number alterations. The tridimentional analysis of chromatin was performed with HiChIP. RESULTS: We identified the new high-risk B-ALL subtype “CDX2/UBTF” that exhibited unique gene expression profiles, which is enriched in female (77.3%), adolescents and young adults (52.6%), and relapse cohort (3.3%). CD10 negativity and IgM positivity are hallmarks of this subtype with NTRK3 expression that can be an effective marker at diagnostic approach and a potential targeted therapy with TRK and mulkinase inbitors, larotrectinib and entrectinib. Genetically, two different alterations define CDX2/UBTF. One is UBTF-ATXN7L3 fusions caused by deletion of 17q21.31, and the other is extopic CDX2 expression through the enhancer hijacking mechanism induced by deletion of 13q12.2. Other genomic features include gain of 1q and PAX5 rearrangement (PAX5-ZCCHC7), might induce upregulation of histone cluster genes and PAX5. CONCLUSION: We described the novel B-ALL subtype “CDX2/UBTF” that has unique clinical and genomic characteristics.

  Study EGAS00001005863

• Analysis of T-cell receptor clonotypes in tumor micro-environment identifies shared cancer type-specific signatures

  Despite the conventional view that a truly random V(D)J recombination process should generate a highly diverse immune repertoire, emerging reports suggest that there is a certain bias towards the generation of shared/public immune receptor chains. These studies were performed in viral diseases where public T-cell receptors (TCR) appear to confer better protective responses. Selective pressures generating common TCR clonotypes are currently not well understood but it is believed that they confer a growth advantage. As very little is known about public TCR clonotypes in cancer, here we set out to determine the extent of shared TCR clonotypes in the intra-tumor microenvironments of virus- and non-virus- driven head and neck cancers using TCR sequencing. We report that tumor-infiltrating T-cell clonotypes were indeed shared across individuals with the same cancer type, where the majority of shared sequences were specific to the cancer type (ie viral versus non-viral). These shared clonotypes were not particularly enriched in EBV-associated nasopharynx cancer, but in both cancers, exhibited distinct characteristics, namely shorter CDR3 lengths, restricted V- and J-gene usages and also demonstrated convergent V(D)J recombination. Many of these shared TCRs were expressed in patients with a shared HLA background. Pattern recognition of CDR3 amino acid sequences revealed strong convergence to specific motifs that were unique to each cancer type, suggesting they may be enriched for specificity to common antigens found in the tumor microenvironment. The identification of shared TCRs in infiltrating tumor T-cells not only adds to our understanding of the tumor adaptive immune recognition but could also serve as disease-specific biomarkers and guide the development of future immunotherapies.

  Study EGAS00001005480

• The Federated EGA network

  In the last 10 years, most human omics data has been generated in the context of research consortia while recently there has been an emergence of large cohorts of human data generated by healthcare initiatives. Many countries in Europe now have nascent personalised medicine programmes. Thus, human genomics is shifting from being predominantly research-driven to being funded through healthcare systems. Genetic data generated in a healthcare context is subject to more stringent information governance than research data and nonetheless all data must adhere to national data protections laws. In this context, EGA identified the need for the development of a federated network to enable secure sharing of data whilst enabling genetic data to remain within the jurisdiction in which it was generated. The Federated EGA is designed to support national data management requirements for genomic and clinical data collected from citizens as part of healthcare or biomedical research projects. It includes a secure authorised access mechanism to support research use of these data across Europe and worldwide. We have engaged with over 14 ELIXIR countries to develop the federation model. The EGA federated configuration is composed of Central EGA, Federated EGA nodes and Community EGA nodes: Central EGA offers international submissions and helpdesk support, currently EGA co-managed by EMBL-EBI and CRG, Federated EGA nodes offer EGA services to researchers within their national jurisdiction, Community EGA nodes are individual institutions or initiatives with human genetic data intended to be shared with the research community. Key services available in the Federated EGA structure are: Central EGA Federated EGA node Community EGA nodes Data submission Offers international submissions service Offers submission service in a particular jurisdiction Does not offer an external submissions service Helpdesk support Provides external international helpdesk Provides helpdesk support for submitters in its jurisdiction and for approved users of data managed at its facilities Provides helpdesk support only for approved users of data managed at its facilities Data distribution Manages worldwide distribution for data hosted at Central EGA Manages worldwide distribution for data hosted at Federated EGA node Distribution for data hosted at Community EGA node EMBL-EBI and CRG have prepared a series of documents describing the overall governance and coordination framework. These describe the Federated EGA structure, the rights and responsibilities of the different parties and governing committees, and node operation guidelines. The federation governance proposal is under review by the first countries invited to join as Federated nodes, with further interested countries likely to join in the coming years. The Central EGA team has been working closely with many ELIXIR partners, including ELIXIR Finland, Luxembourg, Germany, Norway, Spain and Sweden.

  Blog the-federated-ega-network

• SCANDARE MACARON project

  Among gynecological cancers, high-grade serous ovarian cancer has the highest prevalence and more than 75% of patients have advanced stage at diagnosis with a 5-year survival of 40%. When the initial complete surgical removal is not possible (60% of patients), an interval surgery can be considered after three to four cycles of neoadjuvant chemotherapy to reduce the tumor mass. However, in approximately 50% of cases the tumor has little or no response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Therefore, identification of potential drug targets, biomarkers and/or pathways whose modulation can help in the prevention, interception, or curing of the disease is essential to address the unmet need. Therefore, MACARON project aims to address these issues through the identification of shared neoantigens arising out of somatic alterations and aberrant transcriptional programs in ovarian cancer DNA/RNA datasets.

  Dac EGAC50000000104

• Type 2 Diabetes Starr County GWAS and Exome Sequencing

  The T2D Seq GWAS Starr County Cohort is utilized in the following dbGaP sub-studies. To view genotypes, other molecular data, and derived variables collected in these sub-studies, please click on the following sub-studies below or in the "Sub-studies" section of this top-level study page phs001166 T2D Seq GWAS Starr County Cohort. phs000143 CIDR T2D Hanis phs001099 T2D GENES Starr County

  Study phs001166

• Identification of ALS Associated Genes Using Whole Genome Sequencing

  The overall aim of this study is to discover of novel genetic elements associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Towards this goal, we have performed exome and whole genome sequencing for over 2000 samples. This data will be process and harmonized to yield high quality variant calling. These variants will be combined with control cohorts to identify novel genetic elements associated with ALS through case: control analyses.

  Study phs001585

• NHLBI's Collection of Datasets for General Research Use (Public Posting of Genomic Summary Results: Allowed)

  This collection contains all of NHLBI's authorized individual-level genomic datasets currently in dbGaP that are approved for General Research Use (GRU) and have no further limitations beyond those outlined in the model Data Use Certification Agreement. Genomic Summary Results (GSR) sharing is allowed (unrestricted) or not applicable. To request access to this study collection, select phs003132 in the dbGaP Authorized Access System.

  Study phs003132

• Interruption of BTK Inhibitor Improves Response to SARS-CoV-2 Booster Vaccination in Patients with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

  This study investigates the effect of booster SARS-CoV-2 vaccination and Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitor (BTKi) interruption on antibody response to vaccination. Patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) are immunocompromised, at increased risk of infection, and have historically poor response to immunization. BTKi therapy is a standard treatment for CLL in frontline and salvage settings and further suppresses antibody vaccine responses.

  Study phs003319

• The MD Anderson Colorectal Cancer Case Control Study

  Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the US. Driven by common disease common variants hypothesis, genome-wide association studies only identified a number of common susceptibility loci that explained a small portion of CRC heritability. We conducted a case-control study using whole exome sequencing to identify rare genetic variants with intermediate effect size that predispose individuals to colorectal cancer.

  Study phs002691

• Advanced Genetic and Molecular Analysis of Solid Tumors

  This study is designed to understand the role of immunosuppressive regulatory B cells (Breg) in pancreatic cancer. Breg and conventional B cells (Bcon) from patients are compared by RNA sequencing analysis. Bregs and Bcon were isolated from freshly isolated PBMCs in peripheral blood. These data represent the examination of differentially expressed genes in these two blood-derived B cell subsets from both healthy and pancreatic cancer patients.

  Study phs001999

• Type 2 Diabetes in African Americans, GWAS and Exome Sequencing

  The T2D Seq GWAS AA Cohort is utilized in the following dbGaP sub-studies. To view genotypes, other molecular data, and derived variables collected in these sub-studies, please click on the following sub-studies below or in the "Sub-studies" box located on the right hand side of this top-level study page phs001167 T2D Seq GWAS AA Cohort. phs000140 CIDR T2D Bowdens phs001102 T2D GENES AA

  Study phs001167

• Genome-Wide Approach to Measure Variant-Based Heritability of Drug Outcome Phenotypes

  Current pharmacogenetic approaches often use a few large-effect alleles to predict drug outcomes. However, many drug outcome phenotypes are determined by complex pathways that may be influenced by common single-nucleotide variants (SNVs) across the genome. We ascertained how much variation in drug response is explained by common SNVs for pharmacokinetic (drug levels) and pharmacodynamic phenotypes (highest creatinine) for 4 drugs: vancomycin, gentamicin, cyclosporine and tacrolimus.

  Study phs002506