Adverse drug reactions and allergic diseases (such as asthma, eczema, and food allergy) are a growing public health concern that can have serious health consequences. Currently, clinical management is reactive-treating the reaction after it happens or allergic disease after it begins-rather than preventative. There is a large unmet need to predict who is at risk of a severe drug reactions before they take a medication or at risk of developing allergic diseases.
While we know that genetics plays a role, current testing is often limited to a few specific genes and cannot predict every case. This project will use a combination of genotype data, high-resolution immune gene sequencing (HLA), and health records from the UK Biobank to gain a comprehensive view of the underlying causes of drug hypersensitivity and allergic diseases.
Specifically, we will investigate the biological machinery that the immune system uses to identify and process foreign substances (drugs or allergens). By integrating data from these different sources, the project aims to identify potential biomarkers for diagnosis. The findings from this research could have significant implications for “precision medicine”-allowing doctors to screen patients for risk before prescribing medication-and will help improve patient safety and the quality of life of affected individuals.