GenOMICC Project
Context:
Scientists in the United Kingdom as part of a research project, GenOMICC (Genetics of Mortality in Critical Care), have identified 16 new genetic variants that make a person more susceptible to a severe COVID-19 infection.
About:
- The GenOMICC project is a research study that brings together clinicians and scientists from around the world to find the genetic factors that lead to critical illnesses.
- While millions suffer from infectious diseases every year, even though most cases are mild, some people become extremely unwell and need critical care.
- This may be because of their genes and the GenOMICC project is about identifying them.
- The scientists involved compare the DNA of critically-ill patients with members of the general population.
- However, ferreting out such differences requires a large number of people and comparing their genetic structures at multiple levels of resolution.
What is done?
- The scientists involved compare the DNA of critically-ill patients with members of the general population.
- However, ferreting out such differences requires a large number of people and comparing their genetic structures at multiple levels of resolution.
- Since 2015, the GenOMICC has been studying emerging infections such as SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome), MERS (Middle East respiratory syndrome), flu, sepsis, and other forms of critical illness.
- The overarching aim of genome association studies is to not only correlate genes but also design treatments. For instance, the knowledge that interferons play a role in mediating a severe infection is already being used in drug therapies in the management of severe COVID.
Source: THE HINDU.