Abstract

Genetics has made tremendous progress in the 15 years since the first genome-wide association study was performed. We have now found thousands of risk variants for a wide variety of diseases, and we are ever improving our understanding of how nature and nurture combine to shape human phenotypes. However, most of these successes have come from statistical analyses based on a suboptimal heritability model. My work focuses on ways to improve our understanding of the heritability of complex traits, which in turn allows us to develop more efficient statistical tools.

Short bio

Prior to joining AIAS and Aarhus University, Doug Speed studied mathematics at the University of Oxford, followed by a PhD at the University of Cambridge, then spent seven years at University College London. According to The Times University Rankings, Doug's career has nose-dived faster than any other reseacher (1st to 2nd to 16th to 109th place). On the other hand, he has developed LDAK, a toolkit for analyzing genetic data, which according to www.ldak.org, is the world's most popular software for obtaining Linkage Disequilibrium Adjusted Kinships. Moderate success or miserable failure? Turn up to hear him talk and you can decide.

Doug Speed's project at AIAS

What is a Fellows' Seminar?

The AIAS Fellows' Seminar is a session of seminars held by the AIAS fellow or by other speakers proposed by the fellows. In each seminar, one fellow will present and discuss his/her current research and research project, closing off with a question and discussion session.

All seminars are held in English and open to the public. Registration to the seminar is not necessary.  Read more about the AIAS Fellows' Seminar here.