GENETIC LINKAGE STUDIES OF ASTHMA

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This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. Asthma is a common disease that is caused by complex interactions between many genes and environmental factors. The overall goal of our study is to identify genes that influence risk for asthma and asthma-associated phenotypes. These studies will focus on asthma cases and controls recruited in Chicago and representing two racial groups: African American and Caucasian. All asthma cases will be characterized with respect to lung function, bronchial hyperreactivity, airway reversibility, airway inflammation, and atopy. Controls are adults without a personal or first degree relative with asthma, and will be characterized with respect to lung function, airway inflammation, and atopy. We will use both candidate gene and genome-wide approaches to identify genes, and variation within those genes, that are associated with asthma and related phenotypes. Identifying genes that confer susceptibility to asthma can potentially have major health impact by identifying new biochemical pathways involved in pathogenesis and allowing for the development of custom tailored pharmaceutical interventions.