While the primary utility of the resource we have developed is the supplementation of commercial SNP microarrays, it has several other useful applications. For example, the GIN prioritization scoring method is useful for interpreting the results of a GWAS, and can be used to prioritize SNPs for further study after a GWAS [4], as well as prioritize tests of gene-gene interaction. As the genomic coverage of commercial SNP microarrays improves, and subsequently whole-genome sequencing becomes the new standard, the problem of multiple testing will continue to hinder progress in understanding complex interactions underlying the genetics of addiction and other complex diseases. Therefore tests of gene-gene interaction will in most cases require a mechanism of prioritization, and our database will be a useful resource for this approach. By limiting tests of gene-gene interaction to genes that have a biological connection to the phenotype, the issues of multiple testing and computational tractability are substantially reduced. And even within a set of biologically relevant genes, using the GIN prioritization scores to further refine interactions tests, such as testing only within the top 100 SNPs ranked by these scores, will further reduce the problem.
