Genetic analyses to test the causal relevance of lipoprotein(a) levels to coronary disease
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Cambridge
Department Name: Research Services Division
Abstract
Heart attacks and strokes account for almost 1 in every 2 adult deaths worldwide, and coronary heart disease is the single leading killer in the UK. Major established causes of heart disease include diabetes, smoking, and higher levels of blood pressure and blood cholesterol. If further blood components can be shown to be additional important causes of heart disease, then this should lead to improvements in the prediction and prevention of the disease, exemplified by measurement and modification of blood cholesterol levels.
Lipoprotein(a) (?Lp[a]?) is a very large protein wrapped around a ?bad cholesterol? molecule that may promote narrowing of arteries that precedes heart attacks. Over the past few decades, there have been many reports of correlations between blood levels of Lp(a) and subsequent risk of heart disease. It is not clear from such studies, however, whether Lp(a) concentration is mainly a cause or a consequence of heart disease.
We have proposed a series of large genetic studies in order to help judge whether Lp(a) is likely to have a cause-and-effect relation relationship with heart disease. Because genetic factors that influence blood Lp(a) level are fixed at conception, such genetic information may be used in sufficiently large studies to help distinguish causality from mere correlation.
In particular, we will characterise the genetic, biochemical and other correlates of blood Lp(a) levels in 20,000 European and South Asian people, in whom comprehensive genetic profiling has already been completed. We will use this information to pinpoint the key genetic determinants of blood Lp(a) levels in the same 20,000 people. These key genetic factors will then be assessed in the stored genetic samples of about 30,000 patients with heart disease and of about 70,000 healthy people. Statistical tests for consistency will be done across these databases to help determine whether genetic information supports a causal role for Lp(a) in heart disease.
The findings of this work should provide important scientific insights, helping to prioritise efforts to develop disease prevention strategies against Lp(a) and to interpret findings from ongoing large clinical trials of niacin (a drug that moderately lowers blood levels of Lp[a] and several other blood fats).
Lipoprotein(a) (?Lp[a]?) is a very large protein wrapped around a ?bad cholesterol? molecule that may promote narrowing of arteries that precedes heart attacks. Over the past few decades, there have been many reports of correlations between blood levels of Lp(a) and subsequent risk of heart disease. It is not clear from such studies, however, whether Lp(a) concentration is mainly a cause or a consequence of heart disease.
We have proposed a series of large genetic studies in order to help judge whether Lp(a) is likely to have a cause-and-effect relation relationship with heart disease. Because genetic factors that influence blood Lp(a) level are fixed at conception, such genetic information may be used in sufficiently large studies to help distinguish causality from mere correlation.
In particular, we will characterise the genetic, biochemical and other correlates of blood Lp(a) levels in 20,000 European and South Asian people, in whom comprehensive genetic profiling has already been completed. We will use this information to pinpoint the key genetic determinants of blood Lp(a) levels in the same 20,000 people. These key genetic factors will then be assessed in the stored genetic samples of about 30,000 patients with heart disease and of about 70,000 healthy people. Statistical tests for consistency will be done across these databases to help determine whether genetic information supports a causal role for Lp(a) in heart disease.
The findings of this work should provide important scientific insights, helping to prioritise efforts to develop disease prevention strategies against Lp(a) and to interpret findings from ongoing large clinical trials of niacin (a drug that moderately lowers blood levels of Lp[a] and several other blood fats).
Technical Summary
Lipoprotein(a) (Lp[a]), a very large glycoprotein wrapped around an LDL-like particle, has been implicated in coronary heart disease (CHD), but causality remains uncertain. The current proposal involves a series of genetic studies to help test causality by:
(1) assay of Lp(a) levels in 20,000 healthy European and South Asian people in whom genome wide association scans, biochemical profiling and other detailed phenotyping have already been done, enabling powerful and cost-effective characterisation of Lp(a) correlates and distributions;
(2) combination of genome wide and gene?centric approaches in the same 20,000 participants to identify key genetic variants at the LPA gene (the major determinant of Lp[a] levels) that influence circulating levels of Lp(a);
(3) genotyping a relatively small number of key SNPs that show reproducible statistical associations with Lp(a) levels in a total of about 29,000 CHD cases and 69,000 controls in an existing consortium; and
(4) integration of the gene-Lp(a) and gene-CHD data generated in the studies above with data on Lp(a)-CHD associations, such as from the separately funded Emerging Risk Factors Collaboration of 120,000 participants (8500 incident CHD cases) with Lp(a) levels.
Assessment for numerical consistency of these varying sources of data (ie, a ?Mendelian randomisation analysis?) will enable judgement of the likelihood and magnitude of any causal association of Lp(a) concentration with CHD. Findings from the proposed studies should have considerable translational implications for existing drugs (eg, niacin non-specifically lowers Lp[a] levels by about 20%), for the development of new preventative strategies, and for novel mechanistic insights.
(1) assay of Lp(a) levels in 20,000 healthy European and South Asian people in whom genome wide association scans, biochemical profiling and other detailed phenotyping have already been done, enabling powerful and cost-effective characterisation of Lp(a) correlates and distributions;
(2) combination of genome wide and gene?centric approaches in the same 20,000 participants to identify key genetic variants at the LPA gene (the major determinant of Lp[a] levels) that influence circulating levels of Lp(a);
(3) genotyping a relatively small number of key SNPs that show reproducible statistical associations with Lp(a) levels in a total of about 29,000 CHD cases and 69,000 controls in an existing consortium; and
(4) integration of the gene-Lp(a) and gene-CHD data generated in the studies above with data on Lp(a)-CHD associations, such as from the separately funded Emerging Risk Factors Collaboration of 120,000 participants (8500 incident CHD cases) with Lp(a) levels.
Assessment for numerical consistency of these varying sources of data (ie, a ?Mendelian randomisation analysis?) will enable judgement of the likelihood and magnitude of any causal association of Lp(a) concentration with CHD. Findings from the proposed studies should have considerable translational implications for existing drugs (eg, niacin non-specifically lowers Lp[a] levels by about 20%), for the development of new preventative strategies, and for novel mechanistic insights.
Organisations
- University of Cambridge, United Kingdom (Lead Research Organisation)
- University of Oxford, United Kingdom (Collaboration)
- National Institute for Medical Research (Collaboration)
- University of Ghana, Ghana (Collaboration)
- Institute of Human Virology (Collaboration)
- The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute (Collaboration)
- London Sch of Hygiene and Trop Medicine, United Kingdom (Collaboration)
- University of Cape Town (Collaboration)
- University of Yaoundé (Collaboration)
- University of Conakry (Collaboration)
- University of KwaZulu-Natal (Collaboration)
- University of Nigeria (Collaboration)
- Medical Research Council (Collaboration)
- National Institutes of Health, United States (Collaboration)
- University of Cambridge (Collaboration)
- University of Ibadan, Nigeria (Collaboration)
- Wellcome Trust, LONDON (Collaboration)
- Moi University (Collaboration)
- Makerere University College of Health Sciences (Collaboration)
- University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa (Collaboration)
- MRC/UVRI Uganda Research Unit on AIDS, Uganda (Collaboration)
- University of The Gambia (Collaboration)
- Howard University (Collaboration)
Publications

Arsenault BJ
(2014)
Lipoprotein(a) levels, genotype, and incident aortic valve stenosis: a prospective Mendelian randomization study and replication in a case-control cohort.
in Circulation. Cardiovascular genetics



Burgess S
(2010)
Bayesian methods for meta-analysis of causal relationships estimated using genetic instrumental variables.
in Statistics in medicine

C Reactive Protein Coronary Heart Disease Genetics Collaboration (CCGC)
(2011)
Association between C reactive protein and coronary heart disease: mendelian randomisation analysis based on individual participant data.
in BMJ (Clinical research ed.)

CARDIoGRAMplusC4D Consortium
(2013)
Large-scale association analysis identifies new risk loci for coronary artery disease.
in Nature genetics


Chen J
(2021)
The trans-ancestral genomic architecture of glycemic traits.
in Nature genetics

Davis C
(2019)
Highly Diverse Hepatitis C Strains Detected in Sub-Saharan Africa Have Unknown Susceptibility to Direct-Acting Antiviral Treatments.
in Hepatology (Baltimore, Md.)
Description | Wellcome Trust H3Africa |
Amount | £2,550,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | 060743 |
Organisation | Wellcome Trust |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 01/2013 |
End | 12/2017 |
Title | Sequencing data on human genomes |
Description | As part of an analysis to identify high frequency genetic variants at the population level, we have sequenced whole genomes at low and high coverage from sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. These data will be publicly available through managed databases. |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of Data/Biological Samples |
Provided To Others? | No |
Impact | The sequencing data will be publicly available to the scientific community. |
Description | African Partnership for Chronic Disease Research |
Organisation | Institute of Human Virology |
Country | Nigeria |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
PI Contribution | 1. Set-up and coordination of the partnership. 2. Expertise and research capacity in: genetics/genomics of chronic disease, informatics, large-scale analytical pipelines, statistical genetics, epidemiology and public health. 3. Access to high throughput next-generation sequencing and genotyping laboratory and analytical pipelines and infrastructure. |
Collaborator Contribution | The partnership includes 18 centres from 12 different countries. Expertises range from epidemiology of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases in African populations to population genetics/genomics, bioethics, population-based surveys and interventions. African centres also contribute existing resources and infostructure for sample collection (clinics and field stations) and analyses. |
Impact | Two successful grant application have resulted so far from this partnership: Wellcome Trust (WT099316MA) Burden, spectrum and aetiology of type 2 diabetes in sub-Saharan Africa 2013-2018 £2,550,000 MRC Research partnership to assess the burden and aetiology of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) 2013-2018 £885,314 The partnership is also taking part in several ongoing projects including the African Genome Variation project, led by the Wellcome Trust sanger Institute, and a HIV/ART/NCD meta-analysis. |
Start Year | 2011 |
Description | African Partnership for Chronic Disease Research |
Organisation | London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | 1. Set-up and coordination of the partnership. 2. Expertise and research capacity in: genetics/genomics of chronic disease, informatics, large-scale analytical pipelines, statistical genetics, epidemiology and public health. 3. Access to high throughput next-generation sequencing and genotyping laboratory and analytical pipelines and infrastructure. |
Collaborator Contribution | The partnership includes 18 centres from 12 different countries. Expertises range from epidemiology of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases in African populations to population genetics/genomics, bioethics, population-based surveys and interventions. African centres also contribute existing resources and infostructure for sample collection (clinics and field stations) and analyses. |
Impact | Two successful grant application have resulted so far from this partnership: Wellcome Trust (WT099316MA) Burden, spectrum and aetiology of type 2 diabetes in sub-Saharan Africa 2013-2018 £2,550,000 MRC Research partnership to assess the burden and aetiology of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) 2013-2018 £885,314 The partnership is also taking part in several ongoing projects including the African Genome Variation project, led by the Wellcome Trust sanger Institute, and a HIV/ART/NCD meta-analysis. |
Start Year | 2011 |
Description | African Partnership for Chronic Disease Research |
Organisation | Makerere University College of Health Sciences |
Country | Uganda |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | 1. Set-up and coordination of the partnership. 2. Expertise and research capacity in: genetics/genomics of chronic disease, informatics, large-scale analytical pipelines, statistical genetics, epidemiology and public health. 3. Access to high throughput next-generation sequencing and genotyping laboratory and analytical pipelines and infrastructure. |
Collaborator Contribution | The partnership includes 18 centres from 12 different countries. Expertises range from epidemiology of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases in African populations to population genetics/genomics, bioethics, population-based surveys and interventions. African centres also contribute existing resources and infostructure for sample collection (clinics and field stations) and analyses. |
Impact | Two successful grant application have resulted so far from this partnership: Wellcome Trust (WT099316MA) Burden, spectrum and aetiology of type 2 diabetes in sub-Saharan Africa 2013-2018 £2,550,000 MRC Research partnership to assess the burden and aetiology of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) 2013-2018 £885,314 The partnership is also taking part in several ongoing projects including the African Genome Variation project, led by the Wellcome Trust sanger Institute, and a HIV/ART/NCD meta-analysis. |
Start Year | 2011 |
Description | African Partnership for Chronic Disease Research |
Organisation | Medical Research Council (MRC) |
Department | MRC Centre for Genomics and Global Health |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | 1. Set-up and coordination of the partnership. 2. Expertise and research capacity in: genetics/genomics of chronic disease, informatics, large-scale analytical pipelines, statistical genetics, epidemiology and public health. 3. Access to high throughput next-generation sequencing and genotyping laboratory and analytical pipelines and infrastructure. |
Collaborator Contribution | The partnership includes 18 centres from 12 different countries. Expertises range from epidemiology of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases in African populations to population genetics/genomics, bioethics, population-based surveys and interventions. African centres also contribute existing resources and infostructure for sample collection (clinics and field stations) and analyses. |
Impact | Two successful grant application have resulted so far from this partnership: Wellcome Trust (WT099316MA) Burden, spectrum and aetiology of type 2 diabetes in sub-Saharan Africa 2013-2018 £2,550,000 MRC Research partnership to assess the burden and aetiology of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) 2013-2018 £885,314 The partnership is also taking part in several ongoing projects including the African Genome Variation project, led by the Wellcome Trust sanger Institute, and a HIV/ART/NCD meta-analysis. |
Start Year | 2011 |
Description | African Partnership for Chronic Disease Research |
Organisation | Medical Research Council (MRC) |
Department | MRC Unit, The Gambia |
Country | Gambia |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | 1. Set-up and coordination of the partnership. 2. Expertise and research capacity in: genetics/genomics of chronic disease, informatics, large-scale analytical pipelines, statistical genetics, epidemiology and public health. 3. Access to high throughput next-generation sequencing and genotyping laboratory and analytical pipelines and infrastructure. |
Collaborator Contribution | The partnership includes 18 centres from 12 different countries. Expertises range from epidemiology of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases in African populations to population genetics/genomics, bioethics, population-based surveys and interventions. African centres also contribute existing resources and infostructure for sample collection (clinics and field stations) and analyses. |
Impact | Two successful grant application have resulted so far from this partnership: Wellcome Trust (WT099316MA) Burden, spectrum and aetiology of type 2 diabetes in sub-Saharan Africa 2013-2018 £2,550,000 MRC Research partnership to assess the burden and aetiology of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) 2013-2018 £885,314 The partnership is also taking part in several ongoing projects including the African Genome Variation project, led by the Wellcome Trust sanger Institute, and a HIV/ART/NCD meta-analysis. |
Start Year | 2011 |
Description | African Partnership for Chronic Disease Research |
Organisation | Medical Research Council (MRC) |
Department | Medical Research Council (MRC), MRC/UVRI Unit, Uganda |
Country | Uganda |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | 1. Set-up and coordination of the partnership. 2. Expertise and research capacity in: genetics/genomics of chronic disease, informatics, large-scale analytical pipelines, statistical genetics, epidemiology and public health. 3. Access to high throughput next-generation sequencing and genotyping laboratory and analytical pipelines and infrastructure. |
Collaborator Contribution | The partnership includes 18 centres from 12 different countries. Expertises range from epidemiology of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases in African populations to population genetics/genomics, bioethics, population-based surveys and interventions. African centres also contribute existing resources and infostructure for sample collection (clinics and field stations) and analyses. |
Impact | Two successful grant application have resulted so far from this partnership: Wellcome Trust (WT099316MA) Burden, spectrum and aetiology of type 2 diabetes in sub-Saharan Africa 2013-2018 £2,550,000 MRC Research partnership to assess the burden and aetiology of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) 2013-2018 £885,314 The partnership is also taking part in several ongoing projects including the African Genome Variation project, led by the Wellcome Trust sanger Institute, and a HIV/ART/NCD meta-analysis. |
Start Year | 2011 |
Description | African Partnership for Chronic Disease Research |
Organisation | Moi University |
Department | School of Medicine |
Country | Kenya |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | 1. Set-up and coordination of the partnership. 2. Expertise and research capacity in: genetics/genomics of chronic disease, informatics, large-scale analytical pipelines, statistical genetics, epidemiology and public health. 3. Access to high throughput next-generation sequencing and genotyping laboratory and analytical pipelines and infrastructure. |
Collaborator Contribution | The partnership includes 18 centres from 12 different countries. Expertises range from epidemiology of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases in African populations to population genetics/genomics, bioethics, population-based surveys and interventions. African centres also contribute existing resources and infostructure for sample collection (clinics and field stations) and analyses. |
Impact | Two successful grant application have resulted so far from this partnership: Wellcome Trust (WT099316MA) Burden, spectrum and aetiology of type 2 diabetes in sub-Saharan Africa 2013-2018 £2,550,000 MRC Research partnership to assess the burden and aetiology of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) 2013-2018 £885,314 The partnership is also taking part in several ongoing projects including the African Genome Variation project, led by the Wellcome Trust sanger Institute, and a HIV/ART/NCD meta-analysis. |
Start Year | 2011 |
Description | African Partnership for Chronic Disease Research |
Organisation | National Human Genome Center; Howard University |
Country | United States |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | 1. Set-up and coordination of the partnership. 2. Expertise and research capacity in: genetics/genomics of chronic disease, informatics, large-scale analytical pipelines, statistical genetics, epidemiology and public health. 3. Access to high throughput next-generation sequencing and genotyping laboratory and analytical pipelines and infrastructure. |
Collaborator Contribution | The partnership includes 18 centres from 12 different countries. Expertises range from epidemiology of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases in African populations to population genetics/genomics, bioethics, population-based surveys and interventions. African centres also contribute existing resources and infostructure for sample collection (clinics and field stations) and analyses. |
Impact | Two successful grant application have resulted so far from this partnership: Wellcome Trust (WT099316MA) Burden, spectrum and aetiology of type 2 diabetes in sub-Saharan Africa 2013-2018 £2,550,000 MRC Research partnership to assess the burden and aetiology of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) 2013-2018 £885,314 The partnership is also taking part in several ongoing projects including the African Genome Variation project, led by the Wellcome Trust sanger Institute, and a HIV/ART/NCD meta-analysis. |
Start Year | 2011 |
Description | African Partnership for Chronic Disease Research |
Organisation | National Institute for Medical Research, Tanzania |
Department | Mwanza Intervention Trials Unit (MITU) |
Country | Tanzania, United Republic of |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | 1. Set-up and coordination of the partnership. 2. Expertise and research capacity in: genetics/genomics of chronic disease, informatics, large-scale analytical pipelines, statistical genetics, epidemiology and public health. 3. Access to high throughput next-generation sequencing and genotyping laboratory and analytical pipelines and infrastructure. |
Collaborator Contribution | The partnership includes 18 centres from 12 different countries. Expertises range from epidemiology of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases in African populations to population genetics/genomics, bioethics, population-based surveys and interventions. African centres also contribute existing resources and infostructure for sample collection (clinics and field stations) and analyses. |
Impact | Two successful grant application have resulted so far from this partnership: Wellcome Trust (WT099316MA) Burden, spectrum and aetiology of type 2 diabetes in sub-Saharan Africa 2013-2018 £2,550,000 MRC Research partnership to assess the burden and aetiology of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) 2013-2018 £885,314 The partnership is also taking part in several ongoing projects including the African Genome Variation project, led by the Wellcome Trust sanger Institute, and a HIV/ART/NCD meta-analysis. |
Start Year | 2011 |
Description | African Partnership for Chronic Disease Research |
Organisation | National Institutes of Health (NIH) |
Department | National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) |
Country | United States |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | 1. Set-up and coordination of the partnership. 2. Expertise and research capacity in: genetics/genomics of chronic disease, informatics, large-scale analytical pipelines, statistical genetics, epidemiology and public health. 3. Access to high throughput next-generation sequencing and genotyping laboratory and analytical pipelines and infrastructure. |
Collaborator Contribution | The partnership includes 18 centres from 12 different countries. Expertises range from epidemiology of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases in African populations to population genetics/genomics, bioethics, population-based surveys and interventions. African centres also contribute existing resources and infostructure for sample collection (clinics and field stations) and analyses. |
Impact | Two successful grant application have resulted so far from this partnership: Wellcome Trust (WT099316MA) Burden, spectrum and aetiology of type 2 diabetes in sub-Saharan Africa 2013-2018 £2,550,000 MRC Research partnership to assess the burden and aetiology of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) 2013-2018 £885,314 The partnership is also taking part in several ongoing projects including the African Genome Variation project, led by the Wellcome Trust sanger Institute, and a HIV/ART/NCD meta-analysis. |
Start Year | 2011 |
Description | African Partnership for Chronic Disease Research |
Organisation | The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
PI Contribution | 1. Set-up and coordination of the partnership. 2. Expertise and research capacity in: genetics/genomics of chronic disease, informatics, large-scale analytical pipelines, statistical genetics, epidemiology and public health. 3. Access to high throughput next-generation sequencing and genotyping laboratory and analytical pipelines and infrastructure. |
Collaborator Contribution | The partnership includes 18 centres from 12 different countries. Expertises range from epidemiology of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases in African populations to population genetics/genomics, bioethics, population-based surveys and interventions. African centres also contribute existing resources and infostructure for sample collection (clinics and field stations) and analyses. |
Impact | Two successful grant application have resulted so far from this partnership: Wellcome Trust (WT099316MA) Burden, spectrum and aetiology of type 2 diabetes in sub-Saharan Africa 2013-2018 £2,550,000 MRC Research partnership to assess the burden and aetiology of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) 2013-2018 £885,314 The partnership is also taking part in several ongoing projects including the African Genome Variation project, led by the Wellcome Trust sanger Institute, and a HIV/ART/NCD meta-analysis. |
Start Year | 2011 |
Description | African Partnership for Chronic Disease Research |
Organisation | University of Cambridge |
Department | MRC Epidemiology Unit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | 1. Set-up and coordination of the partnership. 2. Expertise and research capacity in: genetics/genomics of chronic disease, informatics, large-scale analytical pipelines, statistical genetics, epidemiology and public health. 3. Access to high throughput next-generation sequencing and genotyping laboratory and analytical pipelines and infrastructure. |
Collaborator Contribution | The partnership includes 18 centres from 12 different countries. Expertises range from epidemiology of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases in African populations to population genetics/genomics, bioethics, population-based surveys and interventions. African centres also contribute existing resources and infostructure for sample collection (clinics and field stations) and analyses. |
Impact | Two successful grant application have resulted so far from this partnership: Wellcome Trust (WT099316MA) Burden, spectrum and aetiology of type 2 diabetes in sub-Saharan Africa 2013-2018 £2,550,000 MRC Research partnership to assess the burden and aetiology of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) 2013-2018 £885,314 The partnership is also taking part in several ongoing projects including the African Genome Variation project, led by the Wellcome Trust sanger Institute, and a HIV/ART/NCD meta-analysis. |
Start Year | 2011 |
Description | African Partnership for Chronic Disease Research |
Organisation | University of Cape Town |
Country | South Africa |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | 1. Set-up and coordination of the partnership. 2. Expertise and research capacity in: genetics/genomics of chronic disease, informatics, large-scale analytical pipelines, statistical genetics, epidemiology and public health. 3. Access to high throughput next-generation sequencing and genotyping laboratory and analytical pipelines and infrastructure. |
Collaborator Contribution | The partnership includes 18 centres from 12 different countries. Expertises range from epidemiology of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases in African populations to population genetics/genomics, bioethics, population-based surveys and interventions. African centres also contribute existing resources and infostructure for sample collection (clinics and field stations) and analyses. |
Impact | Two successful grant application have resulted so far from this partnership: Wellcome Trust (WT099316MA) Burden, spectrum and aetiology of type 2 diabetes in sub-Saharan Africa 2013-2018 £2,550,000 MRC Research partnership to assess the burden and aetiology of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) 2013-2018 £885,314 The partnership is also taking part in several ongoing projects including the African Genome Variation project, led by the Wellcome Trust sanger Institute, and a HIV/ART/NCD meta-analysis. |
Start Year | 2011 |
Description | African Partnership for Chronic Disease Research |
Organisation | University of Conakry |
Country | Guinea |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | 1. Set-up and coordination of the partnership. 2. Expertise and research capacity in: genetics/genomics of chronic disease, informatics, large-scale analytical pipelines, statistical genetics, epidemiology and public health. 3. Access to high throughput next-generation sequencing and genotyping laboratory and analytical pipelines and infrastructure. |
Collaborator Contribution | The partnership includes 18 centres from 12 different countries. Expertises range from epidemiology of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases in African populations to population genetics/genomics, bioethics, population-based surveys and interventions. African centres also contribute existing resources and infostructure for sample collection (clinics and field stations) and analyses. |
Impact | Two successful grant application have resulted so far from this partnership: Wellcome Trust (WT099316MA) Burden, spectrum and aetiology of type 2 diabetes in sub-Saharan Africa 2013-2018 £2,550,000 MRC Research partnership to assess the burden and aetiology of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) 2013-2018 £885,314 The partnership is also taking part in several ongoing projects including the African Genome Variation project, led by the Wellcome Trust sanger Institute, and a HIV/ART/NCD meta-analysis. |
Start Year | 2011 |
Description | African Partnership for Chronic Disease Research |
Organisation | University of Ghana |
Department | School of Medicine |
Country | Ghana |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | 1. Set-up and coordination of the partnership. 2. Expertise and research capacity in: genetics/genomics of chronic disease, informatics, large-scale analytical pipelines, statistical genetics, epidemiology and public health. 3. Access to high throughput next-generation sequencing and genotyping laboratory and analytical pipelines and infrastructure. |
Collaborator Contribution | The partnership includes 18 centres from 12 different countries. Expertises range from epidemiology of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases in African populations to population genetics/genomics, bioethics, population-based surveys and interventions. African centres also contribute existing resources and infostructure for sample collection (clinics and field stations) and analyses. |
Impact | Two successful grant application have resulted so far from this partnership: Wellcome Trust (WT099316MA) Burden, spectrum and aetiology of type 2 diabetes in sub-Saharan Africa 2013-2018 £2,550,000 MRC Research partnership to assess the burden and aetiology of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) 2013-2018 £885,314 The partnership is also taking part in several ongoing projects including the African Genome Variation project, led by the Wellcome Trust sanger Institute, and a HIV/ART/NCD meta-analysis. |
Start Year | 2011 |
Description | African Partnership for Chronic Disease Research |
Organisation | University of Ibadan |
Country | Nigeria |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | 1. Set-up and coordination of the partnership. 2. Expertise and research capacity in: genetics/genomics of chronic disease, informatics, large-scale analytical pipelines, statistical genetics, epidemiology and public health. 3. Access to high throughput next-generation sequencing and genotyping laboratory and analytical pipelines and infrastructure. |
Collaborator Contribution | The partnership includes 18 centres from 12 different countries. Expertises range from epidemiology of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases in African populations to population genetics/genomics, bioethics, population-based surveys and interventions. African centres also contribute existing resources and infostructure for sample collection (clinics and field stations) and analyses. |
Impact | Two successful grant application have resulted so far from this partnership: Wellcome Trust (WT099316MA) Burden, spectrum and aetiology of type 2 diabetes in sub-Saharan Africa 2013-2018 £2,550,000 MRC Research partnership to assess the burden and aetiology of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) 2013-2018 £885,314 The partnership is also taking part in several ongoing projects including the African Genome Variation project, led by the Wellcome Trust sanger Institute, and a HIV/ART/NCD meta-analysis. |
Start Year | 2011 |
Description | African Partnership for Chronic Disease Research |
Organisation | University of KwaZulu-Natal |
Country | South Africa |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | 1. Set-up and coordination of the partnership. 2. Expertise and research capacity in: genetics/genomics of chronic disease, informatics, large-scale analytical pipelines, statistical genetics, epidemiology and public health. 3. Access to high throughput next-generation sequencing and genotyping laboratory and analytical pipelines and infrastructure. |
Collaborator Contribution | The partnership includes 18 centres from 12 different countries. Expertises range from epidemiology of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases in African populations to population genetics/genomics, bioethics, population-based surveys and interventions. African centres also contribute existing resources and infostructure for sample collection (clinics and field stations) and analyses. |
Impact | Two successful grant application have resulted so far from this partnership: Wellcome Trust (WT099316MA) Burden, spectrum and aetiology of type 2 diabetes in sub-Saharan Africa 2013-2018 £2,550,000 MRC Research partnership to assess the burden and aetiology of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) 2013-2018 £885,314 The partnership is also taking part in several ongoing projects including the African Genome Variation project, led by the Wellcome Trust sanger Institute, and a HIV/ART/NCD meta-analysis. |
Start Year | 2011 |
Description | African Partnership for Chronic Disease Research |
Organisation | University of Nigeria |
Department | University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH) Ituku/Ozalla Enugu |
Country | Nigeria |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | 1. Set-up and coordination of the partnership. 2. Expertise and research capacity in: genetics/genomics of chronic disease, informatics, large-scale analytical pipelines, statistical genetics, epidemiology and public health. 3. Access to high throughput next-generation sequencing and genotyping laboratory and analytical pipelines and infrastructure. |
Collaborator Contribution | The partnership includes 18 centres from 12 different countries. Expertises range from epidemiology of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases in African populations to population genetics/genomics, bioethics, population-based surveys and interventions. African centres also contribute existing resources and infostructure for sample collection (clinics and field stations) and analyses. |
Impact | Two successful grant application have resulted so far from this partnership: Wellcome Trust (WT099316MA) Burden, spectrum and aetiology of type 2 diabetes in sub-Saharan Africa 2013-2018 £2,550,000 MRC Research partnership to assess the burden and aetiology of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) 2013-2018 £885,314 The partnership is also taking part in several ongoing projects including the African Genome Variation project, led by the Wellcome Trust sanger Institute, and a HIV/ART/NCD meta-analysis. |
Start Year | 2011 |
Description | African Partnership for Chronic Disease Research |
Organisation | University of Oxford |
Department | Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
PI Contribution | 1. Set-up and coordination of the partnership. 2. Expertise and research capacity in: genetics/genomics of chronic disease, informatics, large-scale analytical pipelines, statistical genetics, epidemiology and public health. 3. Access to high throughput next-generation sequencing and genotyping laboratory and analytical pipelines and infrastructure. |
Collaborator Contribution | The partnership includes 18 centres from 12 different countries. Expertises range from epidemiology of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases in African populations to population genetics/genomics, bioethics, population-based surveys and interventions. African centres also contribute existing resources and infostructure for sample collection (clinics and field stations) and analyses. |
Impact | Two successful grant application have resulted so far from this partnership: Wellcome Trust (WT099316MA) Burden, spectrum and aetiology of type 2 diabetes in sub-Saharan Africa 2013-2018 £2,550,000 MRC Research partnership to assess the burden and aetiology of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) 2013-2018 £885,314 The partnership is also taking part in several ongoing projects including the African Genome Variation project, led by the Wellcome Trust sanger Institute, and a HIV/ART/NCD meta-analysis. |
Start Year | 2011 |
Description | African Partnership for Chronic Disease Research |
Organisation | University of Oxford |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | 1. Set-up and coordination of the partnership. 2. Expertise and research capacity in: genetics/genomics of chronic disease, informatics, large-scale analytical pipelines, statistical genetics, epidemiology and public health. 3. Access to high throughput next-generation sequencing and genotyping laboratory and analytical pipelines and infrastructure. |
Collaborator Contribution | The partnership includes 18 centres from 12 different countries. Expertises range from epidemiology of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases in African populations to population genetics/genomics, bioethics, population-based surveys and interventions. African centres also contribute existing resources and infostructure for sample collection (clinics and field stations) and analyses. |
Impact | Two successful grant application have resulted so far from this partnership: Wellcome Trust (WT099316MA) Burden, spectrum and aetiology of type 2 diabetes in sub-Saharan Africa 2013-2018 £2,550,000 MRC Research partnership to assess the burden and aetiology of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) 2013-2018 £885,314 The partnership is also taking part in several ongoing projects including the African Genome Variation project, led by the Wellcome Trust sanger Institute, and a HIV/ART/NCD meta-analysis. |
Start Year | 2011 |
Description | African Partnership for Chronic Disease Research |
Organisation | University of Yaoundé |
Country | Cameroon |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | 1. Set-up and coordination of the partnership. 2. Expertise and research capacity in: genetics/genomics of chronic disease, informatics, large-scale analytical pipelines, statistical genetics, epidemiology and public health. 3. Access to high throughput next-generation sequencing and genotyping laboratory and analytical pipelines and infrastructure. |
Collaborator Contribution | The partnership includes 18 centres from 12 different countries. Expertises range from epidemiology of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases in African populations to population genetics/genomics, bioethics, population-based surveys and interventions. African centres also contribute existing resources and infostructure for sample collection (clinics and field stations) and analyses. |
Impact | Two successful grant application have resulted so far from this partnership: Wellcome Trust (WT099316MA) Burden, spectrum and aetiology of type 2 diabetes in sub-Saharan Africa 2013-2018 £2,550,000 MRC Research partnership to assess the burden and aetiology of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) 2013-2018 £885,314 The partnership is also taking part in several ongoing projects including the African Genome Variation project, led by the Wellcome Trust sanger Institute, and a HIV/ART/NCD meta-analysis. |
Start Year | 2011 |
Description | African Partnership for Chronic Disease Research |
Organisation | University of the Gambia |
Country | Gambia |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | 1. Set-up and coordination of the partnership. 2. Expertise and research capacity in: genetics/genomics of chronic disease, informatics, large-scale analytical pipelines, statistical genetics, epidemiology and public health. 3. Access to high throughput next-generation sequencing and genotyping laboratory and analytical pipelines and infrastructure. |
Collaborator Contribution | The partnership includes 18 centres from 12 different countries. Expertises range from epidemiology of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases in African populations to population genetics/genomics, bioethics, population-based surveys and interventions. African centres also contribute existing resources and infostructure for sample collection (clinics and field stations) and analyses. |
Impact | Two successful grant application have resulted so far from this partnership: Wellcome Trust (WT099316MA) Burden, spectrum and aetiology of type 2 diabetes in sub-Saharan Africa 2013-2018 £2,550,000 MRC Research partnership to assess the burden and aetiology of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) 2013-2018 £885,314 The partnership is also taking part in several ongoing projects including the African Genome Variation project, led by the Wellcome Trust sanger Institute, and a HIV/ART/NCD meta-analysis. |
Start Year | 2011 |
Description | African Partnership for Chronic Disease Research |
Organisation | University of the Witwatersrand |
Country | South Africa |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | 1. Set-up and coordination of the partnership. 2. Expertise and research capacity in: genetics/genomics of chronic disease, informatics, large-scale analytical pipelines, statistical genetics, epidemiology and public health. 3. Access to high throughput next-generation sequencing and genotyping laboratory and analytical pipelines and infrastructure. |
Collaborator Contribution | The partnership includes 18 centres from 12 different countries. Expertises range from epidemiology of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases in African populations to population genetics/genomics, bioethics, population-based surveys and interventions. African centres also contribute existing resources and infostructure for sample collection (clinics and field stations) and analyses. |
Impact | Two successful grant application have resulted so far from this partnership: Wellcome Trust (WT099316MA) Burden, spectrum and aetiology of type 2 diabetes in sub-Saharan Africa 2013-2018 £2,550,000 MRC Research partnership to assess the burden and aetiology of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) 2013-2018 £885,314 The partnership is also taking part in several ongoing projects including the African Genome Variation project, led by the Wellcome Trust sanger Institute, and a HIV/ART/NCD meta-analysis. |
Start Year | 2011 |
Description | African Partnership for Chronic Disease Research |
Organisation | Wellcome Trust |
Department | Malawi-Liverpool Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Programme |
Country | Malawi |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | 1. Set-up and coordination of the partnership. 2. Expertise and research capacity in: genetics/genomics of chronic disease, informatics, large-scale analytical pipelines, statistical genetics, epidemiology and public health. 3. Access to high throughput next-generation sequencing and genotyping laboratory and analytical pipelines and infrastructure. |
Collaborator Contribution | The partnership includes 18 centres from 12 different countries. Expertises range from epidemiology of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases in African populations to population genetics/genomics, bioethics, population-based surveys and interventions. African centres also contribute existing resources and infostructure for sample collection (clinics and field stations) and analyses. |
Impact | Two successful grant application have resulted so far from this partnership: Wellcome Trust (WT099316MA) Burden, spectrum and aetiology of type 2 diabetes in sub-Saharan Africa 2013-2018 £2,550,000 MRC Research partnership to assess the burden and aetiology of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) 2013-2018 £885,314 The partnership is also taking part in several ongoing projects including the African Genome Variation project, led by the Wellcome Trust sanger Institute, and a HIV/ART/NCD meta-analysis. |
Start Year | 2011 |
Description | Lp(a) levels in a population from sub-Saharan Africa |
Organisation | MRC/UVRI Uganda Research Unit on AIDS |
Country | Uganda |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | Together with MRC/UVRI, and with independent MRC grant funding we have devised and conducted a large scale study in Uganda--assessing the distribution of cardiometabolic risk factors. Within context of the current MRC grant funding, we aim to examine the distribution of Lp(a) and other risk factors for heart disease in this population. |
Collaborator Contribution | One of our primary research mandates for the current grant was to the characterise the correlates of Lp(a) levels in different populations using standardised measurements (Objective 1). We originally focused on populations of European and South Asian descent. This collaboration allowed us to extend these studies to populations from sub-Saharan Africa. Importantly, it has been suggested that elevated levels of lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] are a risk marker for coronary heart disease in European populations, but not among African Americans. This is despite the observation that African American populatons have both higher Lp(a) levels and higher absolute cardiovascular event rates. There is a paucity of such data in populations from Africa, where the varying genetic background may alter the association between the cognate gene and Lp(a) levels. We aim to compare data across European, Souh Asian and African populations. |
Impact | We now have data on more than 8,000 study participants from Uganda, which will be compared with data from 20,000 Europeans and 20,000 South Asians. This is a multi-disciplinary collaboration involving clinicians, epidemiologists and geneticists. |
Start Year | 2010 |