Genome-wide Association Study

genome-wide association study (GWAS), systematic approach to rapidly scanning the human genome for genetic variations, with the aim of identifying associations between variants and particular diseases. Genome-wide association studies often concentrate on variations known as single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and are designed in ways that allow researchers to investigate hundreds or thousands of SNPs in large numbers of individuals at once. Variations that are identified in the genome can be used to assess not only disease risk but also other factors, such as response to certain therapeutic agents.