Course Description

Statistical methods for analyzing genetic data and understanding the genetic basis of human diseases and traits are at the heart of government-sponsored precision medicine initiatives, genetic testing routinely conducted at health clinics, and direct-to-consumer genetic and ancestry testing offered by companies like 23andMe and AncestryDNA. Statistical geneticists work to answer these important scientific questions while navigating the unique statistical challenges posed by genetic data:

In this course, we will explore the statistical methods that have been proposed to address these challenges, applying and extending statistical methods you may have encountered in previous courses (e.g., linear regression, hypothesis testing, principal component analysis) in the context of genetic data. Throughout, we will place a particular emphasis on scientific communication, computing, and independent learning.

I look forward to exploring the field of statistical genetics with you!