Investigating causal interactions between physical activity and cardiometabolic disease via polygenic risk scores (GenActive) (GenActive)

Main funder

Academy of Finland

Funder's project number: 346509

Funds granted by main funder (€)

300 000,00

Funding program

Research costs of Academy Research Fellow, AoF (Academy of Finland)

Project timetable

Project start date: 01/09/2021

Project end date: 31/12/2024

Summary

Human behaviour and disease progression are affected by environmental factors, genetic inheritance and their complex interplay. Genetic contributions to complex traits and diseases, such as PA and cardiometabolic disease (CMD), are polygenic. Novel polygenic risk scores summarise genome-wide genotype data into single variables that produce individual-level risk scores for genetic liability. This study seeks to research causal associations between genetic inheritance, physical activity and CMD by utilising large population based datasets (FinnGen, HUNT), genetically controlled longitudinal follow-up data on twins (Finnish twin cohort), polygenic scores and advance statistical methods. Further, I aim to use DNA methylation data to identify potential mechanisms and pathways that regulate associations between genetic risk and CMD and mortality and validate these findings with gene expression analysis and metabolomics.