National Human Genome Research Institute, US National Institutes of Health (NIH), 31 Center Drive, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA. manolio@nih.gov
Abstract:
The Genetic Association Information Network (GAIN) is a public-private partnership established to investigate the genetic basis of common diseases through a series of collaborative genome-wide association studies. GAIN has used new approaches for project selection, data deposition and distribution, collaborative analysis, publication and protection from premature intellectual property claims. These demonstrate a new commitment to shared scientific knowledge that should facilitate rapid advances in understanding the genetics of complex diseases.