Advances in Twin and Sib-pair Analysis

Twin and family data have traditionally been used to quantify the genetic and environmental contribution to disease. Through the application of new analytical approaches, these designs can also provide powerful models in which the search for specific genes underlying non-Mendelian diseases can be optimised. This book discusses the state-of-the-art in twin and sib-pairs analysis of complex diseases both from the perspective of epidemiology (study design, subject selection, sampling strategies) and biostatistics (path analysis, survival analysis, linkage analysis, association studies). Novel ways are discussed in which twins and sib-pairs can be used to meet the challenge of identifying the location and function of genes underlying complex traits. This book will appeal to a wide range of biomedical scientists interested in the genetic basis of disease, epidemiologists, molecular biologists, human geneticists and students.