This project aims to investigate the genetic basis of progression in chronic venous disease (CVD), a condition ranging from varicose veins (VVs) to skin changes and ultimately venous leg ulcers (VLUs). The primary research questions are:
1. Which genetic variants are associated with the onset of VVs in individuals with no prior venous disease?
2. Which variants contribute to progression from VVs to VLUs?
3. Can CVD progression be effectively modelled as a multi-stage process using longitudinal data?
4. Can stage-specific polygenic risk scores (PRS) be developed to stratify risk and inform clinical prediction?
5. What biological pathways are implicated in genetic findings related to disease progression?
