The Immunogenetics Research Group, led by Dr. Grant Parnell, focuses on understanding the genetic and environmental factors that contribute to autoimmune diseases, particularly multiple sclerosis (MS). Based at the Centre for Immunology and Allergy Research (CIAR) at the Westmead Institute for Medical Research, the group leverages cutting-edge genomic and transcriptomic technologies to uncover insights into immune tolerance and disease mechanisms.
Key Research Areas
- Multiple Sclerosis Pathogenesis: Exploring the interplay between genetic risk loci, environmental factors such as vitamin D deficiency, and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection in driving MS.
- Vitamin D and Immune Tolerance: Investigating how vitamin D receptor signaling influences myeloid cell differentiation and promotes immunological tolerance, with a focus on translational applications.
- Biomarkers and Precision Medicine: Development of biomarkers, such as IFI27, for stratifying disease severity and guiding therapeutic strategies in autoimmune and infectious diseases.
The group employs state-of-the-art methodologies, including:
- ATAC-seq, ChIP-seq, and RNA-seq for transcriptomic analysis.
- Advanced bioinformatics for large-scale data integration.
- Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) to identify genetic risk factors.
- Translational approaches, bridging basic science with clinical application.
Recent Achievements
- Identified a CNS resilience locus that impacts MS progression (Nature, 2023).
- Demonstrated the interaction between MS genetic risk loci and EBV, offering therapeutic insights (Clinical & Translational Immunology, 2023).
- Secured multiple competitive grants, including funding from Multiple Sclerosis Research Australia and the Trish Multiple Sclerosis Research Foundation, to advance research on vitamin D and EBV in MS pathogenesis.
Group Members
- Wade Bocking: Research Assistant
- Paula Mendiola: Student
- Naiara Celerain Sans