Social genomics researchers from across the world convene at the University of Wisconsin–Madison each year to discuss advances in the field.
The 2024 conference, which was held on June 5 – 7, showcased scholarship that considers biodemographic factors across the life course that shape health and aging processes. The conference included a training workshop focused on the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) data and applications, two keynote presentations, and a set of paper presentations from biological and social science researchers.
Support was provided by the National Institute of Aging, La Follette School for Public Affairs, Center for Demography of Health and Aging, and Initiative in Social Genomics.
News
Researchers convene to discuss social genomics during second annual conference
Over a hundred community members and researchers from around the world gathered to discuss the quickly growing field of social genomics during The Advances in Social Genomics Conference.
June 24, 2024
Jason Fletcher talks social genomics with Wisconsin Health News
During a recent interview, Fletcher discussed how social genomics research can be used to improve health outcomes, what’s preventing further progress, and what’s next for social genomics.
May 24, 2024
Schedule
This is an accordion element with a series of buttons that open and close related content panels.
Wednesday, June 5
The Promise and Perils of Social Genomics
- 3 – 4 p.m.
- Moderator:
- Tim Stumm
- Panelists:
- Jason Fletcher, Anya Prince, Lauren Schmitz,
Networking dinner (optional)
Memorial Union Terrace
6:30 p.m.
Thursday, June 6
Day 2 recording
Breakfast at Pyle Center
- 8:30 – 9 a.m.
Panel session 1: GWAS methods
- 9 – 10 a.m.
- Chair:
- Corinne Engelman
- Panelists:
- Jiacheng Miao, “Valid inference for machine learning-assisted GWAS”
- Dhruva Jaishankar, “Genomic-Relatedness Matched Association Studies Increase Diversity, Reduce Bias, and Increase Power Relative to GWAS”
- Yuchang Wu, “Genomic-Relatedness Matched Association Studies Increase Diversity, Reduce Bias, and Increase Power Relative to GWAS”
Panel session 2: Epigenetics 1
- 10 – 11 a.m.
- Chair:
- Lauren Schmitz
- Panelists:
- Erin Dunn, “Identifying sensitive periods for the effects of childhood adversity on DNA methylation”
- Sarah Laurent, “Examining the association between historic redlining and epigenetic aging in adolescents: Results from the future of families and child wellbeing study”
- Steven Shaw, “Biological age and its value to marketing theory and practice”
Break
Panel session 3: Families
- 11:30 a.m. – 12:45 p.m.
- Chair:
- Qiongshi Lu
- Panelists:
- Leandro Carvalho, “A chip off the old block? Genetics and the intergenerational transmission of SES”
- Qinwen Zheng, “Genetic basis of partner choice”
- Matthew Howell, “Assortative Mating Across Time (AMAT)“
Lunch and networking
- 12:45 – 1:45 p.m.
Panel session 4: GxE applications
- 1:45 – 2:45 p.m.
- Chair:
- James Li
- Panelists:
- Sally Kuo, “The influence of spousal genotype on alcohol problems in marriage”
- Silvia Barcellos, “Education reduces dementia prevalence and mitigates the genetic risk of dementia”
- Giorgia Mezzetti, “The role of gene-environment interaction in the gender wage gap”
Panel session 5: Frontiers of social genomics
- 2:45 – 3:45 p.m.
- Chair:
- Jason Fletcher
- Panelists:
- Manisha Jain, “‘The risks cannot be compensated’: The willingness to donate DNA for science and its relationship with economic preferences”
- Matthew Kucmanic, “Social networks of social genomic researchers and their domains”
- Zhiyuan (Effy) Yu, “Childhood adversities and the ATTACHTM Program’s influence on immune cell gene expression”
Break
Keynote and Q&A with Anya Prince
- 4 – 5 p.m.
Gathering at the Memorial Union Terrace
- 5 p.m.
Networking dinner at the Rigby
- 6:30 p.m.
Friday, June 7
Breakfast and networking at Pyle Center
- 8:30 – 9 a.m.
Keynote and Q&A with Abdel Abdellaoui
- 9 – 10 a.m.
Break
Panel session 6: GWAS methods
- 10:15 – 11:15 a.m.
- Chair:
- James Li
- Panelists:
- Wenmin Zhang, “Accounting for effect heterogeneity in fine-mapping and improving power to detect gene-environment interactions with SharePro”
- Marina Aguiar Palma, “Multi-generational effects of dementia risk and onset on labour market outcomes and financial decision making”
- Steven Lehrer, “An applied econometric assessment of polygenic indices”
Panel session 7: PGS applications and methods
- 11:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.
- Chair:
- Qiongshi Lu
- Panelists:
- Robel Alemu, “Relative predictive performance of polygenic indexes (PGIs) across diverse ancestral populations”
- Zijie Zhao, “Controlling for polygenic genetic confounding in epidemiologic association studies”
- Nicolau Martin Bassols, “The impact of mental health on labour market outcomes
Lunch and networking
- 12:15 – 1 p.m.
Session 8: Epigenetics 2
- 1 – 2 p.m.
- Chair:
- Lauren Schmitz
- Panelists:
- Agus Surachman, “Epigenetic aging moderates the association between lower socioeconomic status and faster declines in kidney function across a decade”
- Lauren Opsasnick Rogers, “Epigenome-wide mediation analysis of the relationship between psychosocial stress and cardiometabolic risk factors in the Health and Retirement Study (HRS)”
- Aarti Bhat, “The great recession and epigenetic aging among midlife and older adults”
Break
- 2 – 2:30 p.m.
Workshop: The Midlife in the US (MIDUS)
- 2:30 – 4:30 p.m.
- Presenters:
- Robert Krueger
- Colin Freilich
- Kristian Markon
Gathering at the Memorial Union Terrace
- 4:30 p.m.
Networking dinner (optional) at the Memorial Union Terrace
- 6:30 p.m.
Keynote speakers
Abdel Abdellaoui
Abdellaoui is an Assistant Professor of Adult Psychiatry and Neuroscience at Amsterdam University Medical Centre.
Robert Krueger
Krueger is the Hathaway Distinguished Professor of Clinical Psychology and Distinguished McKnight University Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Minnesota.
Anya Prince
Prince is the Joseph F. Rosenfield Fellow in Law and a Professor of Law at the University of Iowa College of Law
Additional resources
- The truth in our genes, featuring Jason Fletcher and Lauren Schmitz (On Wisconsin Magazine)
- Lack of childhood nurturing linked to accelerated aging, featuring Lauren Schmitz (Wisconsin Public Radio)
- How artificial intelligence could make pregnancy discrimination in employment more common, by Anya Prince (STAT)
Sponsors and support
This event and the Initiative in Social Genomics are hosted by the Robert M. La Follette School of Public Affairs.
Funding for this conference was made possible, in part, by 5R13 AG066268-03 from the National Institute on Aging. The views expressed in written conference materials, publications, and presentations do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the Department of Health and Human Services; nor does mention by trade names, commercial practices, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.
Contact
Mindy Walker
mindy.walker@wisc.edu