Genomics and Diagnosis of Fever

We are using host gene expression patterns and cell-free DNA and RNA in blood to classify and diagnose systemic infections. Specific diagnosis and management of infection is often complicated by our inability to culture most microorganisms, and the need to develop new reagents for each additional pathogen. Host transcript abundance patterns represent a conserved set of "reagents" that can be efficiently measured on a genome-wide basis.

We are using inter-individual and inter-group variation in gene expression to identify diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers, and to gain insight into early events associated with systemic infection. Metagenomics allows for broad-range detection and characterization of microbial and viral nucleic acids in the peripheral blood, as a complementary approach for diagnosing infectious disease.

Relevant Publications

Early Transcriptional Signatures of the Immune Response to a Live Attenuated Tetravalent Dengue Vaccine Candidate in Non-human Primates

Fiona R. Strouts, Stephen J. Popper, Charalambos D. Partidos, Dan T. Stinchcomb, Jorge E. Osorio, David A. Relman (2016) PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases