Antibody gene variation and infectious disease susceptibility

Antibodies are fundamentally important to the human response to infection. During antibody production, several segments of genetic material are stitched together to form a template from which antibody is produced. These segments are situated within some of the most complex parts of the human genome which have so far scarcely been studied. Previously, I found differences in antibody genes between the general population and people with the most serious diseases caused by the bacteria that causes 'strep throat', such as rheumatic fever, septic shock and necrotising fasciitis. Together these diseases kill an estimated 500,000 people each year worldwide. I now propose to investigate this more closely by studying how antibody gene variation influences antibody responses to this bacteria including how this variation alters disease risk. Moving forward I plan to use this strategy to guide development of safer and more targeted vaccines against both 'strep throat' and other infectious diseases.