Morris Complex Disease Genetics

The Morris Complex Disease Genetics Group is working on applying and developing statistical methodology for the analyses of complex disease genetic data. We seek to find genetic causes of disease though analyses of genome wide association data. Our main focus is on autoimmune disease (AID) such as Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE, Lupus), but we are also interested in other conditions that share genetic risk with AID such as Severe COVID-19 and schizophrenia.

Members

Chen Gong

PhD Student

David Morris

Non Clinical Lecturer in Molecular Genetics

Yuxuan Wang

PhD Student

Comparing the genetics of Systemic lupus Erythematosus (SLE, Lupus) and severe COVID-19

In this study we compare the genetics of severe COVID-19 to those of Systemic Lupus Erythematous (SLE). Recent GWAS of severe COVID-19 have shown that there is a genetic component to the variability of the clinical outcome. Some of the genetic loci identified unsurprisingly point to pathways involved in the host immune response. Therefore, a comparison between the genetics of severe COVID-19 and Autoimmune Disease (AID) may be enlightening. We find that severe COVID-19 and SLE are genetically correlated. By this we aim to shed a light on the biological mechanisms that participate in both diseases.

Comparing the genetics of Systemic lupus Erythematosus (SLE, Lupus) and Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a psychiatric disorder affecting the cognitive ability of patients. Systemic lupus erythematosus is an autoimmune disorder that causes inflammation and tissue damage across the body. There is accumulating evidence showing the involvement of immune process in Schizophrenia development. This project aims to explain the observed genetic correlation between the two diseases and discover the loci and genetic polymorphisms that explain this correlation. There is a specific focus on the contribution of C4 variation and other signals within MHC region.

Comprehensive genetic and functional analyses of Fc gamma receptors influence on response to rituximab therapy for autoimmunity
MATURA Consortia & MASTERPLANS Consortia, Dec 2022, In: EBioMedicine. 86, 104343. Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review. DOIs: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ebiom.2022.104343
Positive selection acts on regulatory genetic variants in populations of European ancestry that affect ALDH2 gene expression
Schaschl, H., Göllner, T. & Morris, D. L., Dec 2022, In: Scientific Reports. 12, 1, 4563. Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review. DOIs: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-08588-0
COVID-19 and systemic lupus erythematosus genetics: A balance between autoimmune disease risk and protection against infection
Wang, Y., Guga, S., Wu, K., Khaw, Z., Tzoumkas, K., Tombleson, P., Comeau, M. E., Langefeld, C. D., Cunninghame graham, D. S., Morris, D. L., Vyse, T. J. & Sirugo, G. (ed.), 3 Nov 2022, In: PLoS genetics. 18, 11, p. e1010253 e1010253. Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review. DOIs: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgen.1010253
Identification of 38 novel loci for systemic lupus erythematosus and genetic heterogeneity between ancestral groups
Wang, Y. F., Zhang, Y., Lin, Z., Zhang, H., Wang, T. Y., Cao, Y., Morris, D. L., Sheng, Y., Yin, X., Zhong, S. L., Gu, X., Lei, Y., He, J., Wu, Q., Shen, J. J., Yang, J., Lam, T. H., Lin, J. H., Mai, Z. M., Guo, M., & 15 othersTang, Y., Chen, Y., Song, Q., Ban, B., Mok, C. C., Cui, Y., Lu, L., Shen, N., Sham, P. C., Lau, C. S., Smith, D. K., Vyse, T. J., Zhang, X., Lau, Y. L. & Yang, W., Dec 2021, In: Nature Communications. 12, 1, 772. Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review. DOIs: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-21049-y
Independent Replication on Genome-Wide Association Study Signals Identifies IRF3 as a Novel Locus for Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
Zhang, F., Wang, Y. F., Zhang, Y., Lin, Z., Cao, Y., Zhang, H., Liu, Z. Y., Morris, D. L., Sheng, Y., Cui, Y., Zhang, X., Vyse, T. J., Lau, Y. L., Yang, W. & Chen, Y., 3 Jul 2020, In: Frontiers in Genetics. 11, 600. Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review. DOIs: https://doi.org/10.3389/fgene.2020.00600
Genome-wide assessment of genetic risk for systemic lupus erythematosus and disease severity
Chen, L., Wang, Y. F., Liu, L., Bielowka, A., Ahmed, R., Zhang, H., Tombleson, P., Roberts, A. L., Odhams, C. A., Cunninghame Graham, D. S., Zhang, X., Yang, W., Vyse, T. J. & Morris, D. L., 27 Jun 2020, In: Human Molecular Genetics. 29, 10, p. 1745-1756 12 p., ddaa030. Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review. DOIs: https://doi.org/10.1093/hmg/ddaa030
Complement genes contribute sex-biased vulnerability in diverse disorders
Schizophrenia Working Group of the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium, Kamitaki, N., Sekar, A., Handsaker, R. E., de Rivera, H., Tooley, K., Morris, D. L., Taylor, K. E., Whelan, C. W., Tombleson, P., Loohuis, L. M. O., Boehnke, M., Kimberly, R. P., Kaufman, K. M., Harley, J. B., Langefeld, C. D., Seidman, C. E., Pato, M. T., Pato, C. N., Ophoff, R. A., & 4 othersGraham, R. R., Criswell, L. A., Vyse, T. J. & McCarroll, S. A., 1 Jun 2020, In: Nature. 582, 7813, p. 577-581 5 p. Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review. DOIs: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-020-2277-x
Interferon inducible X-linked gene CXorf21 may contribute to sexual dimorphism in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
Odhams, C. A., Roberts, A. L., Vester, S. K., S T Duarte, C., Beales, C. T., Clarke, A. J., Lindinger, S., Daffern, S. J., Zito, A., Chen, L., Jones, L. L., Boteva, L., Morris, D. L., Small, K. S., Fernando, M. M. A., Cunninghame Graham, D. S. & Vyse, T. J., 31 May 2019, In: Nature Communications. 10, p. 1-15 2164. Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review. DOIs: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-019-10106-2
High genetic risk score is associated with early disease onset, damage accrual and decreased survival in systemic lupus erythematosus
Reid, S., Alexsson, A., Frodlund, M., Morris, D., Sandling, J. K., Bolin, K., Svenungsson, E., Jönsen, A., Bengtsson, C., Gunnarsson, I., Illescas Rodriguez, V., Bengtsson, A., Arve, S., Rantapää-Dahlqvist, S., Eloranta, M. L., Syvänen, A. C., Sjöwall, C., Vyse, T. J., Rönnblom, L. & Leonard, D., 1 Jan 2019, In: Annals of the rheumatic diseases. Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review. DOIs: https://doi.org/10.1136/annrheumdis-2019-216227
Genetic fine mapping of systemic lupus erythematosus MHC associations in Europeans and African Americans
Hanscombe, K. B., Morris, D. L., Noble, J. A., Dilthey, A. T., Tombleson, P., Kaufman, K. M., Comeau, M., Langefeld, C. D., Alarcon-Riquelme, M. E., Gaffney, P. M., Jacob, C. O., Sivils, K. L., Tsao, B. P., Alarcon, G. S., Brown, E. E., Croker, J., Edberg, J., Gilkeson, G., James, J. A., Kamen, D. L., & 16 othersKelly, J. A., McCune, J., Merrill, J. T., Petri, M., Ramsey-Goldman, R., Reveille, J. D., Salmon, J. E., Scofield, H., Utset, T., Wallace, D. J., Weisman, M. H., Kimberly, R. P., Harley, J. B., Lewis, C. M., Criswell, L. A. & Vyse, T. J., 1 Nov 2018, In: Human Molecular Genetics. 27, 21, p. 3813-3824 12 p., 27(21). Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review. DOIs: https://doi.org/10.1093/hmg/ddy280

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Public engagement in the genetics of lupus

We are always seeking to improve public dissemination on the genetics of SLE. If you would like to know more then please get in touch. david.l.morris@kcl.ac.uk

Deborah Cunninghame Graham: Non-Clinical Senior Lecturer in Molecular Medicine in the Department of Medical & Molecular Genetics, King's College London.

Tim Vyse: Professor of Molecular Medicine in the Department of Medical & Molecular Genetics, King's College London.

Professor Xuejun Zhang: Institute of Dermatology, Fudan University, Shanghai, China. Institute of Dermatology, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China. Department of Dermatology, First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China.

Dr Lu Liu: Institute of Dermatology, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China. Department of Dermatology, First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China.

Professor Wanling Yang: Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, The University of Hong Kong.

Professor Jim Griffin: Department of Statistical Science, UCL.

Dr Helmut Schaschl: Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, University of Vienna.

Our partners

Lupus UK

Datacamp

Group lead

David Morris

Non Clinical Lecturer in Molecular Genetics

Contact us

david.l.morris@kcl.ac.uk

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Morris Complex Disease Genetics

Members

Chen Gong

David Morris

Yuxuan Wang

Comparing the genetics of Systemic lupus Erythematosus (SLE, Lupus) and severe COVID-19

Comparing the genetics of Systemic lupus Erythematosus (SLE, Lupus) and Schizophrenia

Comprehensive genetic and functional analyses of Fc gamma receptors influence on response to rituximab therapy for autoimmunity

Positive selection acts on regulatory genetic variants in populations of European ancestry that affect ALDH2 gene expression

COVID-19 and systemic lupus erythematosus genetics: A balance between autoimmune disease risk and protection against infection

Identification of 38 novel loci for systemic lupus erythematosus and genetic heterogeneity between ancestral groups

Independent Replication on Genome-Wide Association Study Signals Identifies IRF3 as a Novel Locus for Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Genome-wide assessment of genetic risk for systemic lupus erythematosus and disease severity

Complement genes contribute sex-biased vulnerability in diverse disorders

Interferon inducible X-linked gene CXorf21 may contribute to sexual dimorphism in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

High genetic risk score is associated with early disease onset, damage accrual and decreased survival in systemic lupus erythematosus

Genetic fine mapping of systemic lupus erythematosus MHC associations in Europeans and African Americans

Public engagement in the genetics of lupus

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Group lead

David Morris

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Morris Complex Disease Genetics

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Comparing the genetics of Systemic lupus Erythematosus (SLE, Lupus) and severe COVID-19

Comparing the genetics of Systemic lupus Erythematosus (SLE, Lupus) and Schizophrenia

Public engagement in the genetics of lupus

Our partners

Group lead

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