title: iWAS--A novel approach to analyzing Next Generation Sequence data for immunology.
abstract: In this communication we describe a novel way to use Next Generation Sequence from the receptors expressed on T and B cells. This informatics methodology is named iWAS, for immunonome Wide Association Study, where we use the immune receptor sequences derived from T and B cells and the features of those receptors (sequences themselves, V/J gene usage, length and character each of the CDR3 sub-regions) to define biomarkers of health and disease, as well as responses to therapies. Unlike GWAS, which do not provide immediate access to mechanism, the associations with immune receptors immediately suggest possible and plausible entrée's into disease pathogenesis and treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 2714, United States. Electronic address: benjamin.g.vincent@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Benjamin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Vincent
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunobiology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85724, United States. Electronic address: buntzman@deptofmed.arizona.edu.
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Buntzman
authors.affiliation: School of Engineering, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3JL, UK; Cambridge Consultants, Science Park, Milton Rd, Cambridge CB4 0DW, UK. Electronic address: ben.hopson@cambridgeconsultants.com.
authors.forename: Benjamin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hopson
authors.affiliation: Cambridge Consultants, Science Park, Milton Rd, Cambridge CB4 0DW, UK. Electronic address: chris.mcewan@cambridgeconsultants.com.
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: McEwen
authors.affiliation: Division of Biomedical Informatics, Department of Clinical Sciences, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, United States. Electronic address: Lindsay.Cowell@utsouthwestern.edu.
authors.forename: Lindsay
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cowell
authors.affiliation: Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, United States. Electronic address: akoglu@email.arizona.edu.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Akoglu
authors.affiliation: Department of Mathematics, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, United States. Electronic address: hzhang@math.arizona.edu.
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunobiology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85724, United States. Electronic address: jfrelin@email.arizona.edu.
authors.forename: Jeffrey
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Frelinger
mesh_terms: D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D055106:Genome-Wide Association Study; D059014:High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing; D007158:Immunologic Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D048088:Informatics; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000235:genetics; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA / Q000379:methods*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D060152:V(D)J Recombination / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface
keywords: Association study; Immune receptors; Repertoire; V(D)J recombination