edwinarossi / gxe-t2d-panc

This repository contains all the code created to perform a set of GxE studies of T2D and PanC risk using participant data from the UK Biobank

GxE-T2D-PANC

This repository contains the main R-scripts written for my final year project at Imperial College London, Department of Bioengineering. The aim of the project was to perform a set of GxE studies to further explore the asssociation between Type II diabetes and pancreatic cancer, using participant data from the UK Biobank.

Type II diabetes (T2D) has long been known to be associated with pancreatic cancer (PanC) - one of the deadliest cancers worldwide. However, the question still remains as to whether their relationship is causual or consequencial. As a cellular case of "the chicken or the egg", research has been inconclusive in unconvering whether T2D is a risk-factor of PanC, or whether it is the cancer itself which causes the onset of T2D. The aim of this project was to further investigate the relationship between T2D and PanC, in hope of better understanding their associaiton and potential interaction. The results of the project have the potential to inform early-intervention, prevention and screening strategies for PanC.

Note that no participant data have been uploaded to this repository, as the UK Biobank data can only be accessed upon request. UK Biobank data is available to any bona fide researcher who wishses to use the available data to conduct health reaearch for the advantage of the wider population.