Rapid identification of human susceptibility genes in coronavirus infection

Coronaviruses create a potentially serious disease in humans with the risk of global pandemics. It is clear that the clinical course of Covid-19 depends on viral virulence factors and the host's innate immune responses. For some individuals the response may result in an uncontrolled "cytokine storm", secondary infections and high mortality rates. This project will investigate whether a patient's genotype, in particular certain SNPs in the innate immune pathway, can lead to higher virus replication and increased production of cytokines. The association of host genotype with susceptibility to infection will enable faster diagnosis by identifying at risk patients. The project will involve basic virus research and understanding clinical platforms for virus diagnosis.