CTSI precision health leaders among researchers studying genetics’ role in COVID-19 susceptibility, severity

A team of UCLA scientists are conducting research to learn why certain people get sick from the virus that causes COVID-19—and why others don’t.

The researchers—which include leaders of the UCLA CTSI Precision Health Program, Drs. Daniel Geschwind and Bogdan Pasaniuc—have launched a program with the University of California’s five other medical centers to collect and analyze the genetic data of hundreds of COVID-19 patients from diverse backgrounds. Using computational and statistical methods, they’re working to identify the genetic factors associated with protection from and susceptibility to the virus, as well as the factors that are linked with the infection’s most devastating symptoms.

To increase the impact of their efforts, the group is integrating their data into two global consortia: the COVID Human Genetic Effort and the COVID-19 Host Genetics Initiative, which bring together whole genome sequencing data from more than 150 studies worldwide.

Read the full UCLA press release.

Image source: UCLA

Image caption: Bogdan Pasaniuc says studying the genomes of a diverse set of people will help ensure that future research better serves everyone, regardless of ancestry.