Genetic basis of autoimmune disease in British South Asians

The Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) is a region of the human genome that controls how the immune system recognises and responds to the external environment. As such, it influences the ability of both individuals and populations to effectively combat infection. Variation within the MHC is also a major determinant of susceptibility to autoimmune disease. Common genetic variants in this region account for up to 50% of the genetic contribution to risk in several autoimmune conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis, type 1 diabetes mellitus, and multiple sclerosis.

Understanding how MHC variation influences autoimmune disease risk is critical for improving disease prediction and developing new therapeutic approaches. However, most genetic studies to date have focused on White populations of European ancestry. Because MHC variants differ substantially in frequency across ancestral groups, this lack of diversity risks overlooking important genetic determinants of disease susceptibility.

This PhD project will address this knowledge gap by investigating the relationship between MHC variation and autoimmune disease risk in a cohort of more than 60,000 British South Asians.

The student will develop expertise in statistical genetics, data science, and the analysis of electronic health records. The findings will help ensure that genetic risk prediction tools for autoimmune disease are accurate and applicable to British South Asian populations, with particular relevance to the local British Bangladeshi community. The project will generate code, datasets, and methodological expertise that can be applied by other researchers, helping to strengthen research capacity and deliver benefits to local populations.