Reviews in Integrative Genetics and Genomics

Integrative genetics and genomics is a rapidly evolving field at the intersection of classical genetics and large-scale, high-dimensional genomics. Researchers in this area seek to understand how variations in the genome, across DNA, RNA, epigenetic marks, proteins, and metabolites, give rise to molecular mechanisms and observable phenotypes. With the proliferation of genome-wide association studies, multi-omics datasets, and advanced computational methods, the field has achieved significant milestones in identifying genetic regulators, mapping complex trait architectures, and exploring the biological underpinnings of diseases in various species. However, challenges remain in fully elucidating the pathways connecting genotype to phenotype, resolving sources of missing heritability, and contextualizing genetic effects across diverse populations, environments, and developmental stages.

This Research Topic aims to gather comprehensive review articles that synthesize progress in integrative genetics and genomics, with a focus on methodological advances, key discoveries, and ongoing challenges. By uniting evidence across experimental, computational, and analytic frameworks, the objective is to clarify how the integration of genetic, genomic, and phenotypic data can more effectively unravel the complexity of biological systems. Reviews in this collection should address pivotal questions such as: What are the current best practices for mapping causal variants and networks? How can multi-omics data be leveraged to close gaps in heritability and understand regulatory mechanisms? What experimental and computational models are most effective in interpreting genotype-phenotype maps, and where do future opportunities and limitations lie?

The scope of this Research Topic is limited to comprehensive analyses, syntheses, and state-of-the-art perspectives in integrative genetics and genomics across model and non-model organisms. Reviews should focus on both foundational concepts and forward-looking approaches, emphasizing multidisciplinary integration. We welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:

· Experimental discoveries defining the genetic basis of complex traits and diseases
· Advances in genome-wide association studies for capturing genetic complexity
· Genotype-to-phenotype mapping utilizing intermediate molecular phenotypes
· Approaches to uncovering missing heritability through integration of genetic and epigenetic data
· Modeling multilocus and genotype-environment interactions
· Development of interdisciplinary tools in genetics, genomics, and bioinformatics
· Network modeling for interpreting biological information flow
· Exploration of pairwise and high-order genetic interactions explaining phenotypic diversity
· Statistical and computational methods for analyzing high-dimensional datasets

This Research Topic welcomes Review, Systematic Review, and Mini Review articles.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Clinical Trial
• Community Case Study
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• General Commentary
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Clinical Trial
• Community Case Study
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Policy and Practice Reviews
• Policy Brief
• Review
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: integrative genetics, integrative genomics, multi-omics, complex traits, genotype-phenotype mapping, missing heritability, genome-wide association studies, genetic interactions, network modeling, high-dimensional data analysis

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.