A key component for the future success of genetic studies is the creation of large-scale genetic research consortia that permit the study of large numbers of comprehensively assessed subjects. Collaboration is necessary for these new genetic studies, and resources are shared with the scientific community through the Database of Genotypes and Phenotypes (dbGaP), which allows investigators to test new hypotheses about the genetic contributions to alcohol dependence (www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?db=gap). This collaborative research is necessary because of the large sample sizes—tens of thousands or more—needed to study genetic effects. The sharing of genetic information has been a corner stone of the Human Genome Project, the International HapMap Project, and the 1000 Genomes Project, and the collaborative aspect must continue if researchers are to gain a better understanding of disease.
