Conducting a genome-wide association study (GWAS) in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA): a unique resource for UK social science

A number of studies suggest that many economic and social outcomes are 'heritable'. However the actual genetic changes associated with these outcomes are yet to be determined. These questions can be addressed by analysis of large population studies which have detailed phenotypic information. However, there are few studies with detailed phenotype measurements of interest to social science and genome wide scan data. ELSA contains cutting edge social and economic phenotype measurements. Additionally, it has a wide variety of biological and health phenotypes and all the measurements have been made at a number of time points. We propose to examine data from approximately 8000 people from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing and its DNA repository, the EDNAR, with replication in in ELSA's sister study the Health and Retirement study (HRS) which measures many phenotypes. We will create a dataset of genome wide association scan data for the academic community.

An important main aim of the project is to provide support for the academic community to use the resource. We will provide high quality genetic data which can be examined alongside the high quality social and economic data that have already been collected in ELSA. A core agenda of this project is develop a new area of research in the UK. We intend to provide training and support to use the repository. In particular, we will organise a workshop inviting participants who play a leadership role in UK social science. The intention is to support the development of skills and capacity within the social science community to enhance the utility of the resource.

Further we will perform two projects to demonstrate the utility of the resource. The first will be to examine whether genome wide data explains variability in measures that have economic and social science interest. Data will be conducted in ELSA and in its sister study, the Health and Retirement Study in the United States. Specifically we will focus on risk behaviour (savings behaviour in the context of income); trust (in the context of neighbourhood characteristics) and leadership. These analyses have the potential to impact science in a number of areas. For example, the potential to understand the genetic contribution to variability in social and economic outcomes and the potential to help us understand the biological pathways that underpin these attitudes, behaviours and preferences. The second project will use genetic markers associated with obesity and well-being to examine the their bi-directional association of obesity. These analyses, which are designed to use whole genome information to help to understand whether obesity is causally associated with poor well-being or vice versa, address two areas of great public health significance, namely the obesity epidemic and psychological well-being.

Our findings from both demonstration projects will be disseminated to the academic community and the relevant policy organisations through newsletters, conferences, seminars, policy forums and academic papers.

The main beneficiaries of genome wide association scan data in the English Longitudinal study of Ageing (ELSA) will be the social science, clinical and medical academic community and the UK and globally. We plan to work with leaders of the ESRC Genomics Network to ensure that social scientists interested and involved in genomic research contribute to the effective dissemination of this project and usage of the database.

The project will create a unique high quality research resource of international significance that will enable new analysis of the genetic underpinnings of social and economic behaviours. High quality data will be available for the future consortium work that will be required to perform robust and meaningful gene*environment interactions analyses.

Individual researchers will benefit from data access and support.

ESRC and other Funders will also benefit from the creation of the genome wide association scan data in ELSA as we intend to undertake guidance and training to leaders in social science academic community to build skills and capacity in this new area of research. It is expected that researchers will carry research on behalf any any national or international funders or sectors with appropriate levels of governance or ethics.

Other benefits of this new data will be stimulate research into a new area with the development of new networks and collaborations.

We will maximise the impact of the demonstration projects included in the proposal by dissemination activities such as presentation of data at conferences and publication of papers. We will use the services offered by our Universities' press offices to record material used and mentioned by the press and research users.