(16 June 2020, updated 2 April 2021) Research recently published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology identified an increased risk of developing severe COVID-19 among those in a UK Biobank cohort with non-allergic asthma. While the study also found increased risk of developing severe COVID-19 among those with asthma and COPD, risk was … Continue reading “A link between non-allergic asthma and increased risk of severe COVID-19”
Shared genetics between diseases and traits
Finding genetic links between asthma and obesity-related traits
It is hypothesized that obesity causally increases the risk of asthma. Our recent study explored the genetics underlying the association between obesity and asthma (and its subtypes) and found significant genetic correlation between them (Zhu et al 2019 Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology). Program explores molecular underpinnings of chronic diseases
Shared genetics and potential causal links between asthma and mental health disorders
Breaking ground on new understandings of mechanisms contributing to previously known associations between asthma and mental health disorders, our recent study found significant correlation between these conditions on a genomic level. The study identified several loci jointly associated with asthma and multiple mental health disorders, highlighting the correlation and potentially forging new directions in terms … Continue reading “Shared genetics and potential causal links between asthma and mental health disorders”
Genetic basis of association between resting heart rate & diabetes
Our recent study indicated significant genetic correlations between high resting heart rate (RHR), type 2 diabetes, and 6 other cardiometabolic traits, indicating potential shared cause on genetic level (Guo et al 2019 Journal of the American College of Cardiology).
Comorbidity of diseases and traits may be due to shared genetic effect
Comorbidity of diseases and traits might be due to shared genetic effect, we investigated shared genetic effects at both whole-genome and variant level between metabolic traits and Alzheimer’s disease (Zhu et al 2019 Human Genetics), asthma and allergy (Zhu et al 2018 Nature Genetics), Alzheimer’s disease and cancer (Feng et al 2016 Human Genetics).
