Twin studies allow us to estimate the relative contributions of nature and nurture to human phenotypes by comparing the resemblance of identical and fraternal twins. Variation in complex traits is a balance of genetic and environmental influences; these influences are typically estimated at a population level. But what if the balance of nature and nurture varies depending on where we grow up? We developed the spACE approach to analyse and map genetic and environmental hotspots using data from large twin cohorts.
Computational behavioural genetics
I was asked to give a fifteen-minute talk on Computational Behavioural Genetics at Europe’s first Computational Social Science conference at the University of Warwick last year. It was recorded for Warwick’s Big Data MOOC, and the organisers, Suzy Moat and Tobias Preis, have kindly allowed us to re-post it here. Thanks, guys!