Medical Student Research Fellowship for Summer 2003

Mentor: Helen H. Hobbs and Jonathan Cohen
Department: McDermott Center
Room number: L5.134
Mail Code: 9046
Phone number: 86724
E-mail: Helen.hobbs@utsouthwestern.edu

Project title: Genetic determinants of LDL-cholesterol

Human subjects IRB approved project number (where applicable):

Animal subjects IRB approved project number (where applicable):

Project Type (patient-based research, animal-based research, or basic research; this characterization is only to permit a general classification for grouping similar types of projects) Patient-based research.

Brief Description of Project: Approximately 50% of the inter-individual variation in plasma levels of LDL-cholesterol are attributable to genetic factors. We are performing high-throughput sequencing of multiple genes in the cholesterol biosynthetic and clearance pathways to determine if sequence variations in any of the known critical genes in these pathways contribute to either hypercholesterolemia or to hypocholesterolemia. We are also performing haplotype-based association studies of selected genes in patients with dyslipidemia.

Previous Research Activities or Publications with Medical Students:

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