In this presentation we explore new research avenues involving the use of biomarkers in the social sciences. Thanks to the Large Facilities Capital Fund of the Department for Business, Innovation, and Skills a variety of biomarkers will be collected in Wave 2 and 3 of Understanding Society. These include anthropometric indicators (such as height and weight), functional measures (such as grip strength, and lung function) and blood samples, from which DNA can be derived. The collection of these measures represents a unique opportunity to further our understanding in areas such as health economics, epidemiology, behavioiral science, health psychology and medical sociology. However, progress in all these fields requires close collaboration across disciplines and careful attention to new methodological issues and ethical concerns. Today we discuss some of the opportunities and pitfalls of incorporating genetic research in the social sciences. In particular, we outline the importance of gene-environment interactions (G×E) and introduce the Mendelian Randomization approach. As an example of recent work in this field, we discuss a couple of studies in what has become known as genoeconomics.
Presented by:
Emilia Del Bono & Yvonne Kelly (ISER)
Date & time:
February 9, 2011 1:00 pm - February 9, 2011 2:00 pm
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