Yann C Klimentidis

Associate Professor, Public Health

Assistant Professor, Genetics - GIDP

Associate Professor, BIO5 Institute

Primary Department

Epidemiology and Biostatistics

Department Affiliations

Epidemiology and Biostatistics

BIO5 Institute

Contact

(520) 621-0147

yann@arizona.edu

Work Summary

I use human genetic data to find associations of genetic markers with complex traits and diseases, to shed light on disease pathophysiology, causal pathways, and health disparities, and to inform precision medicine.

Research Interest

Yann C. Klimentidis, PhD, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics in the Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health at the University of Arizona. His research centers on improving our understanding of the links between genetic variation, lifestyle factors, metabolic disease, and health disparities. In the past, he has used measures of genetic admixture and genomic tests of natural selection to understand the genetic basis of population differences in disease susceptibility. His most recent work examines the use various statistical approaches for the analysis of high-dimensional genetic data for improving prediction of genetic susceptibility to type-2 diabetes. In addition, his work examines gene-by-lifestyle interactions in type-2 diabetes, as well as understanding the causal links between metabolic traits such as dyslipidemia and type-2 diabetes. Keywords: Genetics, epidemiology, Cardiometabolic disease, Physical activity

Publications

Association of physical activity with lower type 2 diabetes incidence is weaker among individuals at high genetic risk

Klimentidis, Y. C., Chen, Z., Arora, A., & Hsu, C. (2014). Association of physical activity with lower type 2 diabetes incidence is weaker among individuals at high genetic risk. Diabetologia, 57(12), 2530-4.

BIO5 Collaborators

Zhao Chen, Yann C Klimentidis

We examined whether or not the association of physical activity with type 2 diabetes incidence differs according to several types of genetic susceptibility.

High genetic risk individuals benefit less from resistance exercise intervention

Klimentidis, Y. C., Bea, J. W., Lohman, T., Hsieh, P., Going, S., & Chen, Z. (2015). High genetic risk individuals benefit less from resistance exercise intervention. International journal of obesity (2005), 39(9), 1371-5.

BIO5 Collaborators

Zhao Chen, Yann C Klimentidis

Genetic factors have an important role in body mass index (BMI) variation, and also likely have a role in the weight loss and body composition response to physical activity/exercise. With the recent identification of BMI-associated genetic variants, it is possible to investigate the interaction of these genetic factors with exercise on body composition outcomes.

Fractal complexity of daily physical activity patterns differs with age over the lifespan and predicts mortality in older adults

Raichlen, D. A., Klimentidis, Y., Hsu, C., & Alexander, G. E. (2017). Fractal complexity of daily physical activity patterns differs with age over the lifespan and predicts mortality in older adults. ..

BIO5 Collaborators

Gene E Alexander, Yann C Klimentidis

Polymorphisms in SCD and SREBF1 Interact with n-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Intake to Modify Genetic Associations with Obesity-Related Anthropometric and Metabolic Phenotypes in Yup’ik People

Lemas, D. J., Klimentidis, Y. C., Tiwari, H., Boyer, B., Wiener, H., & Fernandez, J. (2014). Polymorphisms in SCD and SREBF1 Interact with n-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Intake to Modify Genetic Associations with Obesity-Related Anthropometric and Metabolic Phenotypes in Yup’ik People. Journal of Lipid Research.

High genetic-risk individuals benefit less from resistance exercise intervention

Klimentidis, Y. C., Going, S. B., Chen, Z., Lohman, T. G., & Bea, J. W. (2014). High genetic-risk individuals benefit less from resistance exercise intervention. International Journal of Obesity.

Yann C Klimentidis