While the majority of coronavirus disease 2019 patients develop a mild disease, up to 20% become severely ill, with a severe interstitial pneumonia with high levels of acute phase mediators (cytokine storm) and other complications. There is a lack of knowledge on the role of individual genetic variability in conferring differential viral susceptibility, response to treatments, and severity of disease. This study aims at addressing this question, to identify factors predictive for the different evolution of the disease.
Project Lead
I CeccheriniThe project aims at:
Matching the two proposed approaches (WGS and ML in parallel to an experimental study) is novel and going to be relevant to gain insights into pathogenic mechanisms playing a role in the onset and progression of COVID-19. This will provide novel biomarkers and original tools to recognize and treat more effectively both COVID-19 and rheumatic disorders, paving the way to personalized medicine interventions. The identification of genetic markers associated with COVID-19 severity will allow, a priori, to inform those subjects at higher risk of developing complications when infected with SARS-CoV-2. This knowledge will allow to plan interventions in those individuals (e.g. vaccination, preventive drugs / behaviours) to decrease the burden of COVID-19.