Page 12 - Applied Probability

Preface to the Second Edition
Progress in genetics between the first and second editions of this book has
been nothing short of revolutionary. The sequencing of the human genome
and other genomes is already having a profound impact on biological re-
search. Although the scientific community has only a vague idea of how
this revolution will play out and over what time frame, it is clear that large
numbers of students from the mathematical sciences are being attracted
to genomics and computational molecular biology in response to the latest
developments. It is my hope that this edition can equip them with some of
the tools they will need.
Almost nothing has been removed from the first edition except for a
few errors that readers have kindly noted. However, more than 100 pages
of new material has been added in the second edition. Most prominent
among the additions are new chapters introducing DNA sequence analysis
and diffusion processes and an appendix on the multivariate normal dis-
tribution. Several existing chapters have also been expanded. Chapter 2
now has a section on binding domain identification, Chapter 3 a section
on Bayesian estimation of haplotype frequencies, Chapter 4 a section on
case-control association studies, Chapter 7 new material on the gamete
competition model, Chapter 8 three sections on QTL mapping and factor
analysis, Chapter 9 three sections on the Lander-Green-Kruglyak algorithm
and its applications, Chapter 10 three sections on codon and rate varia-
tion models, and Chapter 14 a better discussion of statistical significance
in DNA sequence matches. Sprinkled throughout the chapters are several
new problems.
I have many people to thank in putting together this edition. It has been
a consistent pleasure working with John Kimmel of Springer. Ted Reich
kindly helped me in gaining permission to use the COGA alcoholism data
in the QTL mapping example of Chapter 8. Many of the same people who
assisted with editorial suggestions, data analysis, and problem solutions in
the first edition have contributed to the second edition. I would particu-
larly like to single out Jason Aten, Lara Bauman, Michael Boehnke, Ruzong
Fan, Steve Horvath, David Hunter, Ethan Lange, Benjamin Redelings, Eric
Schadt, Janet Sinsheimer, Heather Stringham, and my wife, Genie. As a
one-time editor, Genie will particularly appreciate that a comma now ap-
pears in my dedication between “wife” and “Genie,” thereby removing any
suspicion that I am a polygamist.