Autoimmune diseases are a group of conditions in which the immune system attacks one`s own body. They are common in the population and cause many health problems. These diseases occur in genetically susceptible individuals after a trigger such as infection or smoking. In this study, we would like to use the data in UK Biobank to better understand the genes that increase the risk of autoimmune diseases. We will study individuals with early changes related to autoimmunity but have not yet developed an overt disease as well as individuals with symptoms seen in multiple autoimmune diseases (Aim 1). We will study rare variants that have not yet been studied (Aim 2) and the interplay between the genes and the environment (Aim 3). These will help us come up with new genetic testing strategies to detect autoimmune disease early, come up with targeted treatment options and improve our understanding of the role of environmental risk factors. We plan for this project to last at least 3 years.
