Autoimmune diseases are complex disorders in which multiple genes interact with environmental factors leading to severe phenotypes such as type 1 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, nephritis, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, coeliac disease, autoimmune hepatitis, systemic sclerosis, and multiple sclerosis. These disorders affect about 5% of the population and lead to damage in joints, blood vessels, nerves and organs, including the pancreas, intestine, kidneys, liver, brain, and eyes. Chronic life-long debilitation is the most common severe complication caused by autoimmune diseases, which may also lead to early mortality. Our group’s main research line is to apply genetic epidemiological tools along with state–of-the-art technologies to study the genetic factors of autoimmune disorders. We have integrated several disciplines (clinical, immunological, and genetic) with biostatistical methods to investigate the complex genetic architecture of autoimmune diseases. We perform candidate gene- and genome-wide association studies as well as extensive genome sequencing. Next-generation sequencing is being set up in our lab.
Contact:
Sasha Zhernakova, MD,
Dr. Bobby P.C. Koeleman