What Makes Us Human? The Genetics of Complex Traits (Allen Frontiers Group)

I'll be attending this meeting in Seattle the next few days.

Recent research has led to new insights on how genes shape brain structure and development, and their impact on individual variation. Although significant inroads have been made in understanding the genetics underlying disease risk, what about the complex traits of extraordinary variation - such as cognition, superior memory, etc.? Can current advances shed light on genetic components underpinning these variations?

Personal genomics, biobank resources, emerging statistical genetics methods and neuroimaging capabilities are opening new frontiers in the field of complex trait analysis. This symposium will highlight experts using diverse approaches to explore a spectrum of individual variation of the human mind.

Paul Allen (MSFT co-founder) is a major supporter of scientific research, including the Allen Institute for Brain Science. Excerpts from his memoir, Idea Man.

We are at a unique moment in bioscience. New ideas, combined with emerging technologies, will create unprecedented and transformational insights into living systems. Accelerating the pace of this change requires a thoughtful and agile exploration of the entire landscape of bioscience, across disciplines and spheres of research. Launched in 2016 with a $100 million commitment toward a larger 10-year plan, The Paul G. Allen Frontiers Group will discover and support scientific ideas that change the world. We are committed to a continuous conversation with the scientific community that allows us to remain at the ever-changing frontiers of science and reimagine what is possible.

My talk is scheduled for 3:55 PM Pacific Weds 1/17. All talks will be streamed on the Allen Institute Facebook page.