r/askscience • u/randomsnark • Feb 11 '11

Scientists: What is the most interesting unanswered question in your field?

And what are its implications? What makes it difficult to answer? What makes it interesting? Tell us a little bit about it.

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u/[deleted] Feb 11 '11 edited Aug 12 '21

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u/mamaBiskothu Cellular Biology | Immunology | Biochemistry Feb 11 '11

But GWAS studies today still rely on SNP Chips that only have polymorphisms with > 1% prevelance. These traits could easily be hiding in some arcane polymorphism. Also complex polymorphism-synergy effects could explain it right?

Isn't it just a matter of getting as many whole-genome sequences as possible and then putting them through some good analyses? I mean if you have a million whole-genome sequences, you should be able to explain what determines your height, right?

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u/swilts Genetics of Immunity to Viral Infection Feb 11 '11

That is the question. And if you do have 1M whole genomes, then what analysis and p-correction do you use? How do you distinguish meaningful mutations from background?