Grant: Team Grant: CEEHRC - Full application

Obesity and diabetes are diseases of increasing importance in Western societies and beyond. The increase in their occurrence in Canada and elsewhere along with clustering of these diseases in families suggests that both environment and genes play a role. In past years the genes have been systematically identified. We propose that systematic mapping of environmental influences on gene function can now also be achieved by using latest high-throughput DNA sequencing technologies with capacity of simultaneous assessment of millions of sites in our genome susceptible for environmental modulation. Using these novel tools we will compare environmental marks in the genome including both fat (adipose) and blood tissues in individuals sharing their genetic make-up (twins) and in French-Canadian population. Our work represents a pioneering effort to understand how to best use new technologies to assess environmental influence important in modulating inherited risks for disease.