Imagine a world where allergies, asthma and related chronic diseases are rare. Better yet, imagine a world where these conditions can be prevented before they develop.
A powerful new database being created by SFU genomics and bioinformatics researcher Fiona Brinkman and her team will help Canadian researchers make that world a reality.
In the Canadian Healthy Infant Longitudinal Development (CHILD) study, researchers will use the database, called CHILDdb, to examine in depth how genes and the environment interact to cause chronic diseases in children, in particular allergic disease like asthma.
The database will comprise genetic, socioeconomic, environmental and other diverse data from more than 3,500 Canadian children who are being tracked from birth to age eight. CHILD researchers, including SFU health sciences professor Tim Takaro, will use this rich data to develop new methods for diagnosing and preventing allergic and chronic diseases, in particular asthma, in children. These could include precision medicine, which tailors treatments based on genes, environment and lifestyle.
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