With the continuing advances in sequencing technologies and the availability of thousands of distinct human genomes, we are fast approaching the day when "personal genomes" become a standard study measure and a routine component of personal health records. In Genetic Variation: Methods and Protocols, expert researchers address the rising importance of genome variation, both at the level of the individual and in population-based studies of disease, with a collection of detailed protocols reflecting the nature and impact of genetic variation on human phenotypes. The contributions cover a majority of the most important forms of genetic variation studied today, including single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), insertions/deletion (indels), copy number variation (CNVs), variable number tandem repeats (VNTRs), mitochondrial variation, mobile elements, and epigenetic variation. As a volume in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology™ series, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and notes on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Convenient and cutting-edge, Genetic Variation: Methods and Protocols aims to bring bench scientists, clinicians, and bioinformaticians together in order to aid progress toward a greater understanding of the full impact of variation on human health and disease.