Objective
In the last few years genome-wide association studies have revealed thousands of genetic variants associated to immune-mediated diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn's disease. Although it is evident that non-genetic factors can also trigger these diseases, presumably by interacting with the risk SNPs, we do not know what these factors are or how they affect risk-SNPs.
I hypothesize that environmental factors that increase disease risk also mediate the downstream molecular effects of disease-associated genetic variants. Since I am able to identify the downstream molecular effects of many risk-SNPs, and can identify molecular pathways regulated by specific exogenous factors like viral, bacterial or fungal stimuli, I now propose to combine these two approaches into a new analytical framework that will allow me to identify some of the exogenous factors that interact with risk-SNPs and together predispose to immune-mediated diseases.
My aim is to determine how exogenous triggers alter molecular pathways that are critical in immune-mediated diseases. For this we will generate single-cell RNA-seq data on white blood cells from 100 individuals (~1,000 cells per person) and conduct expression QTL analyses. We will then use this information to identify exogenous risk factors for immune-mediated diseases by re-analysing public RNA-seq data from >20,000 samples generated in the presence and absence of different (disease) stimuli.
This project is given direction by three developments by my research group: (1) our collection and integration of large functional genomics datasets, (2) our ability to develop computational frameworks for identifying the downstream consequences of SNPs using such datasets, and (3) my methodology to identify context-specific eQTLs.
This research will improve insight into the complex interplay between risk-SNPs and exogenous factors in modulating the molecular pathways that are crucial for the development of immune-mediated diseases.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: https://op.europa.eu/en/web/eu-vocabularies/euroscivoc.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: https://op.europa.eu/en/web/eu-vocabularies/euroscivoc.
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine rheumatology
- natural sciences biological sciences microbiology mycology
- natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules lipids
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics RNA
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics genomes
You need to log in or register to use this function
We are sorry... an unexpected error occurred during execution.
You need to be authenticated. Your session might have expired.
Thank you for your feedback. You will soon receive an email to confirm the submission. If you have selected to be notified about the reporting status, you will also be contacted when the reporting status will change.
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
-
H2020-EU.1.1. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - European Research Council (ERC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
See all projects funded under this programme
Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
ERC-STG - Starting Grant
See all projects funded under this funding scheme
Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) ERC-2014-STG
See all projects funded under this callHost institution
Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
9713 GZ Groningen
Netherlands
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.