LGN Special Lecture: Genetic Architecture of a Social Construct

The London Genetics Network is delighted to invite you to a special in-person lecture by Dr Abdel Abdellaoui (Amsterdam UMC & University of Amsterdam).

Title: Genetic Architecture of a Social Construct

Abstract: Socio-economic status (SES) is widely understood as a social construct, yet it shows a measurable genetic architecture. This talk examines how genetic signals associated with education, income, and occupation arise and persist. I will argue that society does not just reflect genetic differences but actively shapes and amplifies them through processes like selective migration, gene–environment correlations, and assortative mating. Genomics can help us understand SES as a product of both social and biological forces, offering insights into inequality, population structure, and the dynamics between nature and nurture.

Bio: Abdel Abdellaoui is a geneticist from Amsterdam (Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam) who has been involved in a wide range of studies on psychiatric genetics, behavioural genetics, and population genetics. He is particularly interested in how collective behaviours, such as migration and mate-choice, influence the genetic make-up of populations and the relationship between genetic risk factors and environmental exposures.

Date: Wednesday, July 16

Time: 16:00 (with welcome coffee at 15:30)

Location: UCL, Bloomsbury campus

This special summer event is generously funded by the University of Surrey. London Genetics Network is a special interest group funded by the Genetics Society.

If you are a researcher working in human genetics and would like to join the London Genetics Network, please email us at londongeneticsnetwork.com

We look forward to seeing you there!

Kaito, Karoline and Geli

Please note: This event is only open to LGN members. If you would like to be added, please email: bG9uZG9uZ2VuZXRpY3NuZXR3b3JrIHwgZ21haWwgISBjb20=