the entire genome (so-called genome-wide association studies or GWAS). By using a systematic approach one is not limited to previously known genes of interest. Indeed, in some of the more successful applications of GWAS to complex disorders, such in the area of type II diabetes, GWAS has uncovered susceptibility genes that have expanded our understanding of the underlying etiology to include biological pathways previously unrecognized as being involved in the disease pathology (Billings & Florez, 2010).
