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Abstract Background A recent, large genome-wide association study (GWAS) of European ancestry individuals has identified multiple genetic variants influencing serum lipids. Studies of the transferability of these associations to African Americans remain few, an important limitation given interethnic differences in serum lipids and the disproportionate burden of lipid-associated metabolic diseases among African Americans. Methods We attempted to evaluate the transferability of 95 lipid-associated loci recently identified in European ancestry individuals to 887 non-diabetic, unrelated African Americans from a population-based sample in the Washington, DC area. Additionally, we took advantage of the generally reduced linkage disequilibrium among African ancestry populations in comparison to European ancestry populations to fine-map replicated GWAS signals. Results We successfully replicated reported associations for 10 loci ( CILP2/SF4 , STARD3 , LPL , CYP7A1 , DOCK7 / ANGPTL3 , APOE , SORT1 , IRS1 , CETP , and UBASH3B ). Through trans-ethnic fine-mapping, we were able to reduce associated regions around 75% of the loci that replicated. Conclusions Between this study and previous work in African Americans, 40 of the 95 loci reported in a large GWAS of European ancestry individuals also influence lipid levels in African Americans. While there is now evidence that the lipid-influencing role of a number of genetic variants is observed in both European and African ancestry populations, the still considerable lack of concordance highlights the importance of continued ancestry-specific studies to elucidate the genetic underpinnings of these traits.

Following several years enrolling disease-specific and otherwise healthy cohorts into the Coriell Personalized Medicine Collaborative, a prospective study aimed at evaluating the clinical utility of personal genomic information for common complex disease and pharmacogenomics, the Coriell Personalized Medicine Collaborative expanded to create a military cohort, specifically, the United States Air Force. Initial recruitment focused on Air Force Medical Service personnel and later expanded to include all Active Duty Air Force members and beneficiaries. Now in its 6th year, the study has produced a wide variety of insights, including optimal study design for military-sponsored genomic research, and discussion on genetic information sharing between and amongst Air Force study participants, civilian and military researchers, and the United States Department of Defense. Over the longer term, analyses will further contribute to the development of policies and processes relevant to clinical decision support and data sharing within the US military, and on-going work with the Air Force Medical Service sub-cohort will generate critical insights into how best to deploy useful genomic information in clinical care. Here we discuss challenges faced and critical success factors for military-civilian collaborations around genomic research.