The FunGen-xQTL project
- PI
- Wang, Gao
- DAR ID
- 11258
- Initial Approval Date
- March 27, 2026
- Current DAR Status
- Active
- PI Institution
- Columbia University
- PI Institution Country
- United States
- PI Institution Type
- Non-Profit
Requested Datasets (2)
Research Use Statement
The FunGen-xQTL project is a collaborative effort across the FunGen-AD, the Accelerating Medicines Partnership Alzheimer’s Disease (AMP AD), the NIH Center for Alzheimer’s and Related Dementias (CARD), and the ADSP aiming for systematic discovery and detailed characterization of molecular quantitative trait loci (QTL) in AD-related cell and tissue types, to determine the effect of genetic variation on AD mediated via molecular and cellular programs.
The goal of this project is to generate a reference map of AD-related QTLs to determine the effect of genetic variation on molecular traits. This project builds on existing datasets from multiple omics layers, including bulk and single-cell transcriptomics, epigenomics, proteomics, lipidomics, and metabolomics, and from multiple tissues including brain, cerebrospinal fluid, and plasma. The multi-omics approach will enable mapping the propagation of functional consequences of each variant, which will be instrumental to identifying the causal gene(s) in each locus as well as novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets for AD/ADRD. The xQTL reference map will be made available to both the AD and general scientific communities.
Collaboration with other researchers
The FunGen-xQTL working group consists of investigators from different institutions to
• Catalog and gather genetic, genomic, and multi-omics data that have been generated by its members and other relevant datasets that are publicly available.
• Process and harmonize these data for integration and analysis.
• Identify analytical methods for QTL mapping and integration across multi-omics data types.
• Conduct analyses.
• Develop manuscripts.
The goal of this project is to generate a reference map of AD-related QTLs to determine the effect of genetic variation on molecular traits. This project builds on existing datasets from multiple omics layers, including bulk and single-cell transcriptomics, epigenomics, proteomics, lipidomics, and metabolomics, and from multiple tissues including brain, cerebrospinal fluid, and plasma. The multi-omics approach will enable mapping the propagation of functional consequences of each variant, which will be instrumental to identifying the causal gene(s) in each locus as well as novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets for AD/ADRD. The xQTL reference map will be made available to both the AD and general scientific communities.
Collaboration with other researchers
The FunGen-xQTL working group consists of investigators from different institutions to
• Catalog and gather genetic, genomic, and multi-omics data that have been generated by its members and other relevant datasets that are publicly available.
• Process and harmonize these data for integration and analysis.
• Identify analytical methods for QTL mapping and integration across multi-omics data types.
• Conduct analyses.
• Develop manuscripts.
Non-Technical Summary
Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have so far identified more than 80 loci associated with Alzheimer’s disease (AD). However, progress towards understanding the disease mechanisms has been limited due to the difficulty in assigning molecular functions to these loci. The FunGen-xQTL project is aiming for systematic discovery and detailed characterization of molecular quantitative trait loci (QTL) in AD-related cell and tissue types, to determine the effect of genetic variation on AD mediated via molecular and cellular programs. QTL are genetic regions that influence the phenotypic variation of a molecular (transcriptomic, proteomic, lipidomic among others) trait.
The ultimate goal of the FunGen-xQTL working group is to develop and identify analytical methods for QTL mapping and integration across multi-omics data which will be instrumental to identifying the causal gene(s) in each locus as well as novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets for AD.
The ultimate goal of the FunGen-xQTL working group is to develop and identify analytical methods for QTL mapping and integration across multi-omics data which will be instrumental to identifying the causal gene(s) in each locus as well as novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets for AD.
Reported Publications
Publications shown are those reported by investigators through NIAGADS DAR reporting and renewal processes and may not represent a complete list of publications associated with the project.
No publications have been reported for this DAR.