Strengthening Causal Inference in Exposomics Research: Application of Genetic Data and Methods.

ABSTRACT: Advances in technologies to measure a broad set of exposures have led to a range of exposome research efforts. Yet, these efforts have insufficiently integrated methods that incorporate genetic data to strengthen causal inference, despite evidence that many exposome-associated phenotypes are heritable. Objective: We demonstrate how integration of methods and study designs that incorporate genetic data can strengthen causal inference in exposomics research by helping address six challenges: reverse causation and unmeasured confounding, comprehensive examination of phenotypic effects, low efficiency, replication, multilevel data integration, and characterization of tissue-specific effects. Examples are drawn from studies of biomarkers and health behaviors, exposure domains where the causal i

SUBMITTER: Avery CL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9084332 | biostudies-literature | 2022 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature