A new statistical framework to understand the biological basis of Ankylosing Spondylitis and other complex diseases

强直性脊柱炎(AS)是一种高度遗传性和常见的炎症性关节炎，导致脊柱僵硬和进行性融合，降低生活质量和寿命。目前还没有治愈这种疾病的已知方法。该项目旨在使用一种新的统计框架来确定AS发病机制中涉及的基因和生物途径，该框架将应用于数千名患有AS的人。该项目将提高对AS病理生理学中涉及的潜在机制的理解，为针对这种疾病的新药治疗的开发提供信息，并创建一种强大的新统计方法，可用于确定在其他复杂疾病的发病机制中至关重要的生物途径。

Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS) is a highly heritable and common inflammatory arthritis which causes stiffness and progressive fusion of the spine, decreased quality of life and reduced lifespan. There is no known cure for the condition. This project aims to identify genes and biological pathways involved in AS pathogenesis using a new statistical framework that will be applied to thousands of individuals with the disease. This project will improve understanding of the underlying mechanisms involved in AS pathophysiology, inform development of new drug treatments for the condition, and create a powerful new statistical approach that can be used to identify biological pathways which are important in the pathogenesis of other complex diseases.