METASTROKE

The METASTROKE initiative is a collaborative meta-analysis of ischaemic stroke GWAS data. The initial meta-analysis has now been conducted and replication of findings is in progress. METASTROKE has now begun to exceed its defined parameters of a simple meta-analysis as more and more groups have more and more data available to contribute to collaborative projects. The availability of in silico data, either raw genotypes or summary statistics, also allows specific projects to be conducted on that data. These range from simple 'look-ups' of variants of interest to proposals to investigate large scale weighted risk scores in entire data-sets. In order to manage and allow access to the METASTROKE data, both from members of the ISGC and from outside parties, a Management Committee has been established which holds monthly teleconferences where project proposals can be discussed. Further details are available on the METASTROKE agreement and blank project proposal form below. Minutes of these teleconferences are also available below for information.

Although the initial METASTROKE analysis is now in the replication phase, there is still the possibility of including additional samples in this replication from large, well phenotyped cohorts of ischaemic stroke cases. If you feel you have such a cohort of over 500 cases and would like to take part in METASTROKE replication then please contact Dr Martin Dichgans (Martin.Dichgans@med.uni-muenchen.de) for further inforamtion. Participation will require genotyping of approximately 15 SNPs or the availability of these from imputation of existing GWAS data.

METASTROKE documents

Should you wish to submit a project proposal to METASTROKE please first read and agree to the METASTROKE agreement document below. Then complete the METASTROKE blank project proposal form and send it to Dr Martin Dichgans (Martin.Dichgans@med.uni-muenchen.de) who will schedule it for discussion at the next teleconference. These are usually held monthly, but submissions less than 2 weeks prior to a call may be held over until the following teleconference to give all parties chance to read and comment on all proposals. To prevent duplication, a list of currently proposed and agreed projects using METASTROKE data are available below. METASTROKE also only usually allows one application from an individual PI at any one time to prevent unfair distribution of projects. However, as most projects are collaborative in nature and can have multiple individuals involved in them this rule may be relaxed at the discretion of the Management Committee, whose decision is final.

METASTROKE agreement document

METASTROKE blank project proposal form

Agreed Projects Using METASTROKE data

Projects approved March 2012

White Matter Hyperintensity Burden and Risk of Stroke: A Genetic Score Analysis - PI Natalia Rost

Projects approved January 2012

17q25 as a Risk Factor in Ischaemic Stroke - PI Poneh Adib-Samii

Genetic Variation in Platelet Aggregation as a Risk Factor for Ischaemic Stroke - PI Nicole Dueker

Gene-Centric Association Analysis in Ischaemic Stroke - PI Laura Kilarski

Projects approved December 2011

Do Genetic Risk Variants Associated with Renal and Retinal Microvascular Disease also Contribute to Stroke Risk? - PI Liz Holliday

Polymorphisms in the Thrombomodulin - Endothelial Cell Protein C Receptor System and the Risk of Cerebral Infarction - PI John Cole