Combining Human Genetics and Causal Inference to Understand Human Disease and Development

Written and edited by experts in the field, this collection examines advances in causal inference approaches in human genetics and how they are being used to enhance our understanding of human development and disease. The contributors discuss family-based study designs for causal inference, including twin designs, adoption designs, and in vitro fertilization designs, that separate inherited factors from perinatal environmental exposures. They also review various types of Mendelian randomization--a population-based approach that is growing in utility and popularity--as well as their integration with family-based designs.