The next workshop will be held in Boulder, Colorado, March 5th-9th, 2018. The course is planned to include sessions on: causes of variation; introduction to R programming; introduction to umx; path analysis and variance components; likelihood; matrix algebra; univariate twin analysis; biometrical genetics; categorical data; between group heterogeneity; continuous heterogeneity and G x E interaction; multivariate phenotypic factor and genetic analysis; developmental models; extended twin designs; power analysis; GCTA; direction of causation and Mendelian randomization; and responsible conduct of research.
Hands-on analysis will be emphasized, using the networked notebook computers provided. We have traditionally used OpenMx, developed by Dr. Michael Neale & colleagues for the flexible analysis of genetically informative data, and R programming. The OpenMx website is: http://openmx.psyc.virginia.edu. A beginner’s guide to OpenMx is at https://goo.gl/68H18d. This year, we will be introducing a user-friendly wrapper for OpenMx, called umx, being developed by Tim Bates. This will be accompanied by a new book being written by Tim Bates, Hermine Maes, and Mike Neale, that will be available in draft `private circulation’ form to registrants prior to the workshop.
Participants are strongly advised to have some familiarity with R programming before attending the workshop. Introductory material is available at http://psych.colorado.edu/wiki/doku.php?id=labs:learnr:home. For those not familiar with R, you should work through at least the first four lectures and scripts. Alternatively, take advantage of the many introductory R tutorials available online.
Michael Neale serves as the Academic Director for the workshop and Sarah Medland as Associate Director. An outstanding international faculty roster includes:
- Michael Neale (Academic Director), Lindon Eaves, Nathan Gillespie, Rob Kirkpatrick, Hermine Maes, Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics. Virginia Commonwealth University, USA
- Brad Verhulst, Dept. of Psychology, Michigan State University, USA
- Elizabeth Prom-Wormley. Dept. of Family Medicine and Population Health, Virginia Commonwealth University, USA
- Ben Neale. Analytic and Translational Genetics Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, USA
- Stacey Cherny, School of Public Health, Tel Aviv University, Israel
- Meike Bartels, Dorret Boomsma, Danielle Posthuma, Conor Dolan, Camelia Minica, Michel Nivard. Amsterdam Vrije Universiteit, Netherlands
- John Hewitt (Local Host), Jeff Lessem, Matt Keller. Institute for Behavioral Genetics, Boulder, CO, USA
- Nick Martin, Sarah Medland (Associate Director). QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Australia
- David Evans. University of Queensland Diamantina Institute, Australia
- Timothy Bates, University of Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom
The registration fee is $600, payable by January 26th, 2018. Thereafter, the fee will be $700. Non-payment by February 16th, 2018, will result in your registration being dropped, and cancellations after that date will be non- refundable. Further information and details of local arrangements, registration, and accommodation are available at: http://ibg.colorado.edu/workshop2018 and from the workshop coordinator, Kim Corley, IBG, telephone: 303-492-3405; e-mail: Kimberly.Corley@Colorado.edu.
Individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups, individuals with disabilities, and individuals from socially, culturally, economically, or educationally disadvantaged backgrounds are especially encouraged to attend. Partial financial support for US participants from these groups is available by application to the local host, John Hewitt. Please contact Kim Corley for more information regarding partial financial support.
Financial support for this workshop is provided by grant MH19918 from the National Institute of Mental Health.
