IGES Education Workshop:  Introduction to Mendelian randomization

Day/time: October 12, 2019 10am-4pm
Registration Fee: $100
Location: Hilton of Americas Hotel, Houston, Texas

 

Mendelian randomization is a study that uses genetic variants as instrumental variables to test the causal effect of a (non-genetic) risk factor on a disease or health-related outcome. Since its first proposal in 2003 it has been increasingly used to determine population causal effects using observational data. It is used in a large amount of the applied research in the MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit (IEU) and throughout Population Health at the University of Bristol Medical School. Academics working in the MRC IEU and the University of Bristol (including those who are tutors on this course) have been at the forefront of developing methods for assessing and limiting potential biases with this approach.

This course aims to provide an introduction to the conduct, assumptions, strengths and limitations of Mendelian randomization, including the use of up-to-date methods for sensitivity analyses that explore likely violation of Mendelian randomization assumptions.

This is an introductory to intermediate level course. Students will learn about one-sample and two-sample Mendelian randomization, including their assumptions and gaining practical experience of how to apply these methods to real data. They will also learn about a range of sensitivity analyses that explore likely violation of the assumptions of Mendelian randomization. Prior experience of using Mendelian randomization is not required.

This is a hands-on workshop. Course materials will be provided for download by registrants prior to the course in September.

 

Tutors
The course tutors are epidemiologists, statisticians, bioinformaticians and molecular geneticists who have a breadth of experience in the design, conduct and analysis using Mendelian randomization methodology.

wade
Kaitlin Wade, PhD (course organizer)
MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit

Carolina Borges, PhD
MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit at the University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK

 

 

J chris zheng
Jie Zheng, PhD
MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit at the University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol