Appendix: glossary [cited from 64]
Chromosome: Structure that is composed mainly of chromatin, which contains DNA and resides in the nucleus of cells.
DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid): The-stranded molecule that encodes genetic information.
Family study: Assessing the resemblance between genetically related parents and offspring and between siblings living together. Resemblance can be due to heredity or to shared family environment.
Gene: The basic unit of inheritance. A sequence of DNA bases that codes for a particular product.
Genome: All the DNA sequences of an organism.
Genotype: The genetic constitution of an individual.
Heritability: The proportion of the phenotypic differences that can be attributed to genetic differences in a particular population.
Linkage: Close proximity of loci on a chromosome.
Linkage analysis: A technique that detects linkage between DNA markers and traits used to map genes to chromosomes.
Locus (plural, loci): The site of a specific gene on a chromosome.
Mapping: Linkage of DNA markers to a chromosome and to specific regions of chromosomes.
Nucleus: The part of the cell that contains chromosomes.
Phenotype: An observed characteristic of an individual that results from the combined effects of genotype and environment.
Polymorphism: A locus with two or more alleles (alternative forms of a gene at a locus). (Functional polymorphism: DNA sequence variations that alter the expression and/or functioning of the gene product)
Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP): Sequences in the genome that differ by a single nucleotide between one portion of the population and another.
Twin study: Comparing the resemblance of identical and fraternal twins to estimate genetic and environmental components of variance.
GENEQOL Consortium participants per March 2009
Amy P. Abertnethy, Duke Cancer Care Research Program, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, US; Frank Baas, Laboratory of Neurogenetics, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Andrea M. Barsevick, Nursing Research and Education, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA, US; Meike Bartels, Department of Biological Psychology, VU University, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Dorret I. Boomsma, Department of Biological Psychology, VU University, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Cynthia Chauhan, Cancer Advocay, Wichita, KS, US; Charles S. Cleeland, Department of Symptom Research, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, US; Amylou C. Dueck, Section of Biostatistics, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, AZ, US; Marlene H. Frost, Women’s Cancer Program, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, US; Per Hall, Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden; Michele Y. Halyard, Department of Radiation Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, AZ, US; Pål Klepstad, Department of Intensive Care Medicine, St Olavs University Hospital, Norwegian University of Technology and Science, Trondheim, Norway; Nicholas G. Martin, Queensland Institute of Medical Research, Brisbane, Australia; Christine Miaskowski, School of Nursing, University of California, San Francisco, CA, US; Miriam Mosing, Queensland Institute of Medical Research, Brisbane, Australia; Benjamin Movsas, Department of Radiation Oncology, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, MI, US; Cornelis J. F. Van Noorden, Department of Cell Biology and Histology, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Donald L. Patrick, Department of Health Services, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, US; Nancy L. Pedersen, Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska; Institute, Stockholm, Sweden; Mary E. Ropka, Cancer Prevention and Control Program, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Cheltenham, PA, US; Quiling Shi, Department of Symptom Research, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, US; Gen Shinozaki, Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, US; Jasvinder A. Singh, Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Medical Center and University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN and Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN, US; Jeff A. Sloan, Department of Health Sciences Research, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, US; Mirjam A. G. Sprangers, Department of Medical Psychology, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Ruut Veenhoven, Faculty of Social Sciences, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Ping Yang, Department of Genetic Epidemiology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, US; Ailko H. Zwinderman, Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.