Gene variants associated with autoimmune diseases in white and black patients

Your immune system usually protects you from infection and disease. But sometimes it starts attacking your own body. This is called an autoimmune disease. Crohn’s disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and multiple sclerosis are common types of autoimmune disease. Some autoimmune diseases run in families. This suggests that our genes may play an important role in these diseases. Studies have found slight differences (variants) in several genes linked to these conditions. But most of these studies have only been done in white people. We don’t know if the same gene variants are associated with these diseases in other groups. In this project, scientists will use BioVU samples to confirm the links previously found in white patients. Then, the researchers will ask if these same variants are associated with these diseases in black patients. They will also ask if these variants interact with each other or other factors.