Reposted by Aysu OkbayRafael Ahlskog @rafaelahlskog.bsky.social · 01/10/2026Me and @aysuo.bsky.social were invited to @pietrobiroli.bsky.social 's living room for dinner and some great conversation about GxE, why economists are assholes, and... Big Macs? 012
Reposted by Aysu OkbayRafael Ahlskog @rafaelahlskog.bsky.social · 16/09/2026Me and @aysuo.bsky.social met up with @marghmalanchini.bsky.social in Bologna because were curious about curiosity. Don't miss! 063
Aysu Okbay @aysuo.bsky.social · 15/09/2026It is not even close @michelnivard.bsky.social , not even close 111
Aysu Okbay @aysuo.bsky.social · 02/09/2026Who's more popular, @michelnivard.bsky.social or @dr-appie.bsky.social ? 020
Reposted by Aysu OkbayAbdel Abdellaoui @dr-appie.bsky.social · 14/07/2026How do nature, nurture, and their interplay drive inequality? 🧬🧠💰 New PhD position in social science genetics at @amsterdamumc.bsky.social and @vuamsterdam.bsky.social. Your supervisors will be: Titus Galama, Aysu Okbay, and me. Apply by 21 July: workingat.vu.nl/vacancies/ph... Please share!workingat.vu.nlVacancy — PhD position in Social Science Genetics – VU Amsterdam & Amsterdam UMCApplications are invited for a PhD position in Social Science Genetics, a joint appointment at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and Amsterdam UMC. Eligible candidates may start their studentship between J... 01211
Aysu Okbay @aysuo.bsky.social · 13/05/2026Another episode with @dr-appie.bsky.social because who else brings a laptop to a deserted island? 082
Aysu Okbay @aysuo.bsky.social · 29/04/2026In this week's episode, we talk to @laurawesseldijk.bsky.social about genetics, musicality, metal, mental health. But more importantly, we finally uncover @dr-appie.bsky.social's secret music career and learn about Laura's childhood playing trombone on a horse while doing a headstand?? 072
Aysu Okbay @aysuo.bsky.social · 17/04/2026@rafaelahlskog.bsky.social and I talked to @eivindy.bsky.social in Oslo about old and new results in personality genetics. Also learnt @eivindy.bsky.social was born but maybe not raised to be an activist :) 030
Aysu Okbay @aysuo.bsky.social · 25/03/2026Come work with me and @dr-appie.bsky.social in Amsterdam! 0126
Aysu Okbay @aysuo.bsky.social · 20/03/2026Of assortative mating, bow ties and more. Give it a listen! 060
Aysu Okbay @aysuo.bsky.social · 03/03/2026The abstract submission deadline has been extended until the end of this week (March 8)! 000
Reposted by Aysu OkbayRafael Ahlskog @rafaelahlskog.bsky.social · 20/02/2026Me and @aysuo.bsky.social went to Berlin to talk to @laraffington.bsky.social about all things epigenetics. Some really cool stuff here! 073
Aysu Okbay @aysuo.bsky.social · 06/02/2026Apologies to everyone who asked me who's next and heard a different name 😅 I clearly have no idea what I'm doing and this is all happening thanks to Rafael 130
Reposted by Aysu OkbayRafael Ahlskog @rafaelahlskog.bsky.social · 06/02/2026Me and @aysuo.bsky.social talk to @sjoerdalten.bsky.social about economics and genetics. And we get some book recommendations. Neat! 0138
Aysu Okbay @aysuo.bsky.social · 02/02/2026The ESSGN conference is in beautiful Bologna again this year. Abstract submission is open! 021
Reposted by Aysu OkbayRafael Ahlskog @rafaelahlskog.bsky.social · 23/01/2026Me and @aysuo.bsky.social did a thing. Give it a listen! 1114
Reposted by Aysu OkbayRobel Alemu @robel-alemu.bsky.social · 18/09/2025Excited to share our preprint on PGI portability across ancestries—now on bioRxiv. With co-authors @aysuo.bsky.social, @paturley.bsky.social, @alextisyoung.bsky.social, and @Dan_J_Benjamin. Preprint: doi.org/10.1101/2025... Thread below for details.doi.orgDissecting the Predictive Accuracy of Polygenic Indexes for Behavioral Phenotypes Across Genetic AncestriesPolygenic indexes (PGIs) trained on samples of European genetic ancestries often lose substantial predictive power when applied to non-European ancestries. While this portability problem is well recog... 196
Aysu Okbay @aysuo.bsky.social · 20/05/2025In the next few weeks, we will start sharing the PGIs with the participating datasets, who will make them available as read-to-use variables through their own data-sharing procedures. Stay tuned! (9/9) 050
Aysu Okbay @aysuo.bsky.social · 20/05/2025We have updated the repository’s User Guide to highlight interpretational issues we view as especially important: www.biorxiv.org/content/bior... We also provide updated FAQs that provide information on the Repository and PGIs: www.biorxiv.org/content/bior... (8/9)biorxiv.org 120
Aysu Okbay @aysuo.bsky.social · 20/05/2025It is essential to recall that “causal” does not mean “immutable.” Genetic influences often operate through modifiable environmental pathways. To avoid overly deterministic interpretations, PGI associations should be analyzed and presented with appropriate nuance. (7/9) 120
Aysu Okbay @aysuo.bsky.social · 20/05/2025We provide an analytic correction for these two sources of attenuation that enhances interpretability and cross-study comparability. (6/9) 110
Aysu Okbay @aysuo.bsky.social · 20/05/2025We also develop a theoretical framework clarifying how to interpret coefficients from regressions that control for parental PGIs. We identify two distinct sources of attenuation: sampling error in the SNP weights, and bias due to divergence between the between- and within-family GWAS estimands.(5/9) 140
Aysu Okbay @aysuo.bsky.social · 20/05/2025In 11 datasets that include first-degree relatives, and we infer missing parental PGIs using Mendelian imputation. We include these imputed parental PGIs in the new data release, increasing the number of datasets where parental PGIs can be controlled for in analyses to identify causal effects (4/9) 130
Aysu Okbay @aysuo.bsky.social · 20/05/2025We now obtain the SNP weights using SBayesR (as opposed to LDpred) using a larger set of SNPs (~2.9 mil as opposed to ~1.2mil HapMap3 SNPs) resulting in gains in predictive power for most phenotypes. (3/9) 110
Aysu Okbay @aysuo.bsky.social · 20/05/2025For 16 phenotypes from the first release, we integrate new GWAS data into the meta-analyses. For 45 out of 61 phenotypes, the meta-analyses include 23andMe GWAS, improving predictive power compared to what can be obtained with publicly available summary statistics. (2/9) 110
Aysu Okbay @aysuo.bsky.social · 20/05/2025The repository now includes PGIs for 61 phenotypes (up from 47), spanning additional health, behavioral, and demographic traits. Participating datasets are up from 11 to 20. (1/9) 110
Aysu Okbay @aysuo.bsky.social · 20/05/2025PGI Repository v2.0 preprint out! A 🧵 on the main results and updates @robel-alemu.bsky.social @paturley.bsky.social @alextisyoung.bsky.social 13615
Aysu Okbay @aysuo.bsky.social · 12/05/2025Preprint just out about the genetically heterogenous effects of an early childhood intervention in Colombia. Key findings below. Come see my talk at #ESSGN Bristol if you wanna hear more! 1102
Aysu Okbay @aysuo.bsky.social · 29/04/2025A great opportunity to work with @alextisyoung.bsky.social if you're interested in methods development! 042
Reposted by Aysu OkbaySjoerd van Alten @sjoerdalten.bsky.social · 16/04/2025So happy to finally see this paper out in @natcomms.nature.com. rdcu.be/ehQsd “Correcting for volunteer bias in GWAS increases SNP effect sizes and heritability estimates”. A thread on our findings!rdcu.beCorrecting for volunteer bias in GWAS increases SNP effect sizes and heritability estimatesNature Communications - Genetic studies may be biased due to volunteer-based biobanks. Using UK Biobank, the authors apply inverse probability weighting based on UK Census data, finding that... 1269
Reposted by Aysu OkbayPaul Hufe @paulhufe.net · 28/11/2024🔊Next conference of the European Social Science Genetics Network (ESSGN) in Bristol, 22-23 May. ✅Keynote by @michellemeyer.bsky.social ✅Panel on the current frontier of MR w/ George Davey-Smith (Bristol), Dalton Conley (Princeton), and Alice Carter (Novo-Nordisk). essgn.org/essgn-confer...essgn.orgESSGN Conference IVBristol, May 22-23, 2025 CALL FOR PAPERS We are pleased to announce the 4th conference of the European Social Science Genetics Network. This conference aims to improve our understanding of how gene… 23726
Aysu Okbay @aysuo.bsky.social · 31/10/2024In the sense that an exogenous shock to the environment is found have heterogenous effects, yes, but that's about it :) We found, in Sweden, that among women from high SES families, an increase in compulsory schooling had a larger effect on the adult earnings of those with lower EA PGI 020
