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Arthritis and Immunology Research Program

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OMRF researchers receive $14.7 million in federal stimulus grant funding

OMRF receives $26 million for two federal research grants

Courtney Gray-McGuire, Ph.D. Assistant Member, Arthritis and Immunology Research Program

Genes determine your height, hair color and even, in some cases, whether or not you will get certain diseases. Much of what scientists know about human disease today has been learned from the study of genetics, and in my lab, we focus on how genes can trigger the onset of disease. In particular, we study the role that genes play in cancer and autoimmune disease.

Today, approximately 5 percent of colon cancers are known to have genetic causes. Our lab is now looking for other genetic factors that could trigger the disease. By pinpointing a genetic basis for certain colon cancers, it may be possible to determine those at high risk of developing them. Such insight could be crucial into extending the lives of patients, as colon cancer is often curable when treated early.

We also study the genetic factors that lead to the development of autoimmune diseases. We focus our work on two such conditions—lupus and sarcoidosis.

In lupus, the body’s immune system attacks its own cells and tissues. Our lab is working to identify the genes responsible for the initial launching of these attacks. By discovering the point where the immune system turns on itself, scientists can develop ways to stop the disease’s progression before damage occurs. Finding new treatments for lupus represents a major unmet medical need, as it has been 50 years since the FDA approved a new treatment for this debilitating, sometimes fatal disease that affects up to 10 million people worldwide.

Sarcoidosis occurs when small nodules form in and around organs, leading to arthritis-like swelling and inflammation. This poorly understood condition is more common and severe in African Americans than in Caucasians. By studying family members with the disease, we hope to find the genes that cause this condition, information that ultimately could lead to more effective methods of treatment.