Structure of Major Histocompatibility Complex; Hemochromatosis; Genetics of Quantitative Trait Loci

My laboratory is interested in immunogenetics and focuses much of its attention on the 4 million base pair genomic expanse known as the major histocompatibility complex (MHC). Contained within this region are several multigene assemblages, two of which (i.e., the HLA class I and class II families) directly participate in the regulation of the immune response. Genes residing within the MHC have been implicated in nearly 200 diseases, many of which are autoimmune in nature.

Mutations in other non-HLA genes, such as 21 hydroxylase and the hemochromatosis gene, give rise to inborn errors in metabolism. Our interests in the MHC reside in (1) the identification of novel coding sequences (and associated diseases); (2) the determination of the function(s) of the many HLA-like class Ib genes, and (3) the molecular characterization of MHC changes associated with the evolution of vertebrate species. Additionally, we have branched off into the next level of genetic analysis, behavioral genetics, which is currently tackling mutigenic disorders (e.g., diabetes and schizophrenia) and behavioral anomalies (e.g., alcoholism). The identification of quantitative trait loci contributing to the variance in cognitive skills is a funded avenue of research which promises to yield interesting results.