Allergic diseases (asthma, allergic dermatitis (AD), allergic rhinitis, food allergy and eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) are common medical conditions with substantial co-occurrence. A common link between allergic diseases is the epithelium. Perturbations in epithelial cell function can have a profound effect in initiating and propagating allergic inflammation. However, mechanisms underlying allergic disease persistence and progression are not well understood. Therefore, the overall objective of this U19 is to elucidate mechanisms by which epithelial cells contribute to allergic disorders, specifically disease persistence and progression. The overarching hypothesis of this Center proposal is that homeostatic mechanisms that normally sustain epithelial barrier integrity, upon dysregulation, promote type 2 inflammation and contribute to the persistence and progression of allergic disease. The Data Integration and Analysis Core's (DIAC) purpose is to provide the quantitative expertise to accomplish the overall objective and integrate findings and perform synergistic analyses. DIAC's expertise in quantitative genetics, genomics, statistics, and bioinformatics creates the capacity for rigorous research that will be applied to advance the goals of the overall Center as well as assist the project investigators with their specific hypotheses and aims. This DIAC's aims are to 1) to manage and integrate data and results from the three Center projects to encourage and facilitate synergy; 2) to provide statistical support and expertise in order to facilitate the identification of factors that predict and delineation of mechanisms underlying allergic disease persistence and progression; and 3) To determine generalizability epithelial gene effects on allergic disease persistence and progression and identify common underlying pathways. We expect that in conjunction with the Projects, the Core will help elucidate major functions of the epithelium and how it contributes to allergic disease persistence and progression. Clinically, we expect that this work will ultimately identify therapeutic targets, which will have individualized implications. Further, the targeted focus on the genetics of the epithelium across diseases influencing different mucosal surfaces (skin, lung, esophagus, gut) is an innovative approach, which will increase the biologic interpretability of the findings.
The Data Integration and Analysis Core's (DIAC) purpose is to provide the quantitative expertise to accomplish the overall goals and integrate findings and perform synergistic analyses for the CCHMC U19 program.
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