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We develop statistical methods and computational software to better understand the genetic contribution to immune-mediated traits.

Characterizing the role of HLA in immune-mediated diseases

 

Our group develops statistical and computational methods for understanding the contribution of genetic variations to immune-mediated traits. We focus in particular on the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) region. The MHC region encodes proteins that play a vital role in our immune response. For a vast number of immune-mediated traits, MHC accounts for more genetic heritability than all other genomic variations combined. However, the exact molecular mechanisms behind MHC disease risk are yet unsolved. Knowledge of this would have an impact on subsequent cellular and clinical outcomes. We leverage large biobank data (e.g. UK Biobank and Biobank Japan), gene expression data (e.g. from GTEx), and protein concentrations (e.g. from Omicscience), to understand the precise biological mechanisms through which genetic variation is mediated to modulate risk of immune-mediated traits.

Related research themes