ALR commits funding for new study to identify lupus susceptibility genes in multiple ethnicities

Mar 10 2011

Alliance For Lupus Research Commits $500,000 To Glean Genetic Basis For Lupus In African Americans And Other Ethnicities

Powerful ImmunoChip Technology Expands Range of Testing

The Alliance for Lupus Research (ALR) – the world's largest private funder of lupus research – today announced funding of an important new study to identify lupus susceptibility genes in multiple ethnicities including African Americans, who are three times more likely than Caucasians to have the disease. The study, part of the SLE Genetics Consortium (SLEGEN), is among the few to concentrate so heavily on the genetic variants in non-Caucasian populations and will employ a powerful genotyping platform known as the ImmunoChip, allowing for a significantly broader evaluation of genetic variations in individuals while utilizing the most current and comprehensive information about human DNA.  

The ALR is the only organization to recommend researchers include lupus information on the chip, which was previously designed for other autoimmune diseases, and to stipulate the study be expanded to include non-Caucasian ethnicities.

"We are proud to advocate for and fund such an important study geared toward understanding the genetic basis of lupus in diverse populations," said Ken Farber, executive director, Alliance for Lupus Research. "The ALR is the only organization to support a study like this.  We believe that such cutting-edge research is moving us one step closer to a cure for this debilitating disease."

The ImmunoChip will allow researchers to test a quarter of a million genetic markers in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).  Because the ImmunoChip is being employed by researchers studying other autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis, scientists will have the opportunity to evaluate the common shared genetic risk factors across many autoimmune disorders.    

SOURCE Alliance for Lupus Research