In addition to identifying new genetic factors, GxE studies could be used to identify novel environmental risk factors and to improve our understanding of the etiologic role of those factors for disease. The Think Tank participants recognized inequality in GxE research, with G proceeding at higher speed because of technological developments that allowed for more precise high-throughput assessment of relevant genetic variants garnering more attention. They drew on the analogy of the claws of the male fiddler crab, with G being the oversized chela, and E being the smaller claw [Wild 2005]. As with GxE interactions, both claws are important, as the larger is used in clashes as part of courtship while the smaller is used for eating; moreover, if the large claw is lost, the smaller one will grow larger. Participants raised the challenge of investing in technology for exposure characterization to bring it up to par with genetic data. While recognizing that environmental exposures are not as static as genetic variants, part of this challenge may be addressed by developing low-cost approaches to do large scale assessment and
