Sample interview questions: How do you approach studying the genetics of neurodegenerative diseases?
Sample answer:
Approaching the Study of Neurodegenerative Disease Genetics
1. Familial Studies:
* Identify and study families with multiple affected individuals to establish inheritance patterns and identify potential genetic variants.
* Perform detailed family history analyses to determine the mode of inheritance and identify candidate genes.
2. Genome-Wide Association Studies (GWAS):
* Conduct large-scale genetic studies that compare the genomes of individuals with neurodegenerative diseases to those without.
* Identify genetic variants associated with disease susceptibility and severity.
3. Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS):
* Utilize NGS technologies to perform whole-exome or whole-genome sequencing of individuals and families.
* Identify rare and novel variants that may contribute to disease pathogenesis.
4. Animal Models:
* Create animal models with mutations in candidate genes to study disease mechanisms and test potential therapies.
* Evaluate the effects of genetic variants on disease onset, progression, and treatment response.
5. Functional Studies:
* Perform in vitro and in vivo experiments to investigate the function of identified genetic variants.
* Determine their impact on protein structure, cellular p… Read full answer