I am interested in the study of the genetic control of the immune system. My research is focused on the understanding of the genetic aspects involved in the development of type 1 diabetes (T1D). My ongoing project is focused on the study of the thymic negative selection process, which is defective in both human T1D patients and NOD mice. Our previous studies found that a region on chromosome 7 (Idd7) in NOD mice, which has a potential human homolog, contains a gene that contributes to T1D development by significantly contributing to the failed thymic negative selection of autoreactive T lymphocytes (T-cells). The overall objective of this project is to test that an over-expressed version of the (Nfkbid) gene located within the Idd7 region is an important contributor to the failed thymic negative selection of T1D inducing T-cells in NOD mice. This study will contribute to the identification of a possible new genetically controlled function contributing to T1D development in NOD mice, and also possibly humans. Such information could ultimately contribute to the development of possible novel clinically applicable interventions for the prevention of T1D in humans deemed to be at high future disease risk.

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