Research results using samples and information from BioBank Japan (BBJ) have been published in the online edition of the international scientific journal Nature Genetics.

An international research team led by Chikashi Terao, a team leader at RIKEN, has identified 4,423 significant loci across 63 quantitative traits, among which 601 were new, and 9,406 putatively causal variants in Japanese population, including those variants associated with risks for heart failure, rheumatoid arthritis, and tuberculosis among others. This achievement was made possible by analyzing data from approximately 260,000 Japanese participants, including those of BioBank Japan, using a Japanese-specific genotype reference panel and advanced statistical fine-mapping techniques.

The results of this research are expected to play an important role as basic data for future drug discovery and precision medicine.

For details, please read the original paper and the press release article.

Original paper

Population-specific putative causal variants shape quantitative traits
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41588-024-01913-5
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41588-024-01913-5
Published date: 03 October 2024

Press release aritcle from RIKEN (Japanese only)

https://www.riken.jp/press/2024/20241003_2/index.html