In a study published recently in the American Journal of Human Genetics, the authors combine Finnish population data with “haplotype” data from 43,254 Finns, resulting in high-resolution migration maps and evolutionary origins of rare-disease variants. A haplotype is a group of genes, or a cluster of variations on a DNA sequence, which is inherited as a group from a common ancestor. Analyzing haplotypes helps scientists identify patterns of genetic variations associated with disease states.
Source: Finland is a powerhouse for gathering genetic clues about rare diseases | Broad Institute