MOLECULAR GENETIC STUDIES IN HYPERTENSION, TYPE 2 DIABETES, AND CORONARY HEART DISEASE IN PAKISTAN. (360G-Wellcome-080747_Z_06_Z)

Pakistani subjects have a high burden of hypertension, type 2 diabetes and coronary heart disease compared to white Europeans. There is strong evidence that genetic as well as environmental factors contribute to these diseases in Pakistan. Despite recent progress in identifying genes for common diseases in European studies there are few well powered genetic studies in South Asian subjects. Identifying genes for hypertension, type 2 diabetes and coronary heart disease in Pakistan is important because it will improve knowledge of aetiology and may provide predictive power. The key goals of this project are to establish a large genetic resource to study hypertension, type 2 diabetes and coronary heart disease. Approximately 60% of the subjects have already been phenotyped as part of a previous study. The second key goal is to transfer skills in common disease genetics from the UK to Pakistan. Scientists from Karachi will visit the UK where we will test the hypothesis that polymorp hisms established as risk factors from European studies will affect disease risk in Pakistan. This proposal will result in the transfer of skills in common disease genetics from the UK to Pakistan and identify genetic risk factors for three common diseases in Pakistan.