The study, for which Perlegen was awarded a grant from the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), aims to provide greater insight into the genetic contribution to rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and could identify new biological pathways for therapeutic development.
The collaborators will conduct a comparative study of genetic variation in patients with RA (cases) versus matched, unaffected controls. The genetic variants, also called single nucleotide polymorphisms or SNPs, will be genotyped in the cases and controls. Validation of results will be conducted in a separate set of RA cases and controls. This represents, to date, the highest density genome scan of RA.
“Finding the genetic components of RA could provide new insight into treatment strategies,” said Dr David Cox, chief scientific officer of Perlegen and principal investigator of the project.