The culmination of about two or three years of work, the study represents the tip of the iceberg when it comes to this kind of genetic research, Watson said in a telephone interview from New York, where he does postdoctoral research at Mount Sinai School of Medicine.
A team of North American scientists has cracked a particularly-complex genetic code that reveals ethnicity may determine how well a person is able to fend off diseases such as HIV or the common flu.
Five scientists from Simon Fraser University were among those who found a link between race and antibodies, the culmination of years of research that may have implications in the way doctors treat patients.
The team found certain ethnicities have missing or added DNA links, a factor that could influence immunity to certain diseases, said Corey Watson, one of the team’s 14 researchers.
A “good number” of antibody genes vary from person to person, scientists discovered, which can effect how well the genes operate and which diseases they battle.
Watson said these missing or added links may be attributable to environmental conditions or past exposure to certain pathogens, which is why certain ethnic groups combat diseases differently.
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