New book presents successful strategies for probing genetic...( COLD SPRING HARBOR N.Y. -- The fir...)

COLD SPRING HARBOR, N.Y. -- The first manual specifically geared towards genetic variation studies has just been released by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press (www.cshlpress.com). Genetic Variation: A Laboratory Manual unites key concepts from bioinformatics, technology, statistics, and biology, to provide a comprehensive yet detailed guide for performing genetic variation studies that are feasible for a wide range of laboratories. It was edited by leading scientists Michael P. Weiner, Stacey B. Gabriel, and J. Claiborne Stephens, and includes 35 chapters by experts in the field.

With the genome sequences of many organisms now catalogued, geneticists are turning their attention to natural variation among individuals. Physical characteristics such as eye or hair color, as well as susceptibility to diseases such as diabetes, autism, and heart disease, are often linked to specific DNA variants. However, designing and executing studies to identify such variants is a complicated endeavor, as it involves testing large numbers of individuals, employing powerful modern technologies, and generating enormous amounts of data. Genetic Variation thoroughly addresses all of these issues.

[T]he editors have assembled a remarkable team and generated a solid foundation for novices and experts alike, writes Dr. Thomas Hudson in the foreword to the book. [T]he founding principles that are outlined by world-class specialists will have lasting value, and help connect new facts and datasets into rational explanations.

The manual describes the power of high-throughput approaches for whole-genome genotyping as well as strategies and solutions for laboratory-scale genotyping. From study design and population choice to experimental analysis and data interpretation, Genetic Variation will function as a valuable handbook for any scientist using methods to probe genetic differences among
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