The formation of multiple consortia and collaborations has been crucial for success of the GWAS approach by increasing sample sizes, thereby increasing statistical power, enabling replication of findings from individual studies and establishing common methods of analysis [Manolio et al., 2007; Wellcome Trust Case Control Consortium, 2007]. In 2006, the United States Secretary of Health and Human Services initiated a NIH-wide program, the Genes, Environment and Health Initiative (GEI, http://www.gei.nih.gov/genetics/index.asp) which aims to accelerate understanding of genetic and environmental contributions to health and disease. There are two components to GEI: genetics and exposure biology. The genetics program includes a consortium for GWAS, as well as replication and fine-mapping studies, sequencing studies, functional studies, development of analytical methods and databases, and pilot clinical translation studies. The GWAS component, named the Gene, Environment Association Studies (GENEVA) consortium, was initiated in 2006 as a result of a series of requests for applications (RFAs) to support the establishment and work of a coordinating center (CC), genotyping centers (GCs) and study investigators (SI). The goals of the consortium are to (i) identify genetic variants associated
