Lifestyle choices, such as smoking and diet, play critical roles in the development of chronic conditions including heart disease, liver disease, and obesity, which are among the leading causes of death throughout the world. However, genetic factors are also significant contributors, and the genetic underpinnings of disease can intersect with lifestyle factors in crucial ways. Dr. Jonathan Cohen has devoted his career at UT Southwestern Medical Center to teasing out the genetic components of these diseases by investigating the underlying biological relationships that contribute to disease within a large population. In this presentation, he discusses how genetics helps researchers determine which factors actually cause disease and which do not.