title: The IPD-IMGT/HLA Database - New developments in reporting HLA variation.
abstract: IPD-IMGT/HLA is a constituent of the Immuno Polymorphism Database (IPD), which was developed to provide a centralised system for the study of polymorphism in genes of the immune system. The IPD project works with specialist groups of nomenclature committees who provide and curate individual sections before they are submitted to IPD for online publication. The primary database within the IPD project is the IPD-IMGT/HLA Database, which provides a locus-specific database for the hyper-polymorphic allele sequences of the genes in the HLA system, also known as the human Major Histocompatibility Complex. The IPD-IMGT/HLA Database was first released over 17 years ago, building on the work of the WHO Nomenclature Committee for Factors of the HLA system that was initiated in 1968. The IPD-IMGT/HLA Database enhanced this work by providing the HLA community with an online, searchable repository of highly curated HLA sequences. Many of the genes encode proteins of the immune system and are hyper polymorphic, with some genes currently having over 4000 known allelic variants. Through the work of the HLA Informatics Group and in collaboration with the European Bioinformatics Institute we are able to provide public access to this data through the website, http://www.ebi.ac.uk/ipd/imgt/hla.
authors.affiliation: Anthony Nolan Research Institute, Royal Free Hospital, Pond Street, Hampstead, London NW3 2QG, UK; UCL Cancer Institute, University College London, Royal Free Campus, Pond Street, Hampstead, London NW3 2QG, UK.
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Robinson
authors.affiliation: Anthony Nolan Research Institute, Royal Free Hospital, Pond Street, Hampstead, London NW3 2QG, UK.
authors.forename: Anup R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Soormally
authors.affiliation: Anthony Nolan Research Institute, Royal Free Hospital, Pond Street, Hampstead, London NW3 2QG, UK.
authors.forename: James D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Hayhurst
authors.affiliation: Anthony Nolan Research Institute, Royal Free Hospital, Pond Street, Hampstead, London NW3 2QG, UK; UCL Cancer Institute, University College London, Royal Free Campus, Pond Street, Hampstead, London NW3 2QG, UK. Electronic address: steven.marsh@ucl.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Steven G E
authors.initials: SGE
authors.lastname: Marsh
mesh_terms: D000483:Alleles; D019295:Computational Biology / Q000379:methods; D016208:Databases, Factual; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007109:Immunity / Q000235:genetics*; D007125:Immunogenetics / Q000379:methods; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D064878:Web Browser
chemical_list: D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte; D006680:HLA Antigens
keywords: Allele; Database; HLA; Immunogenetics; MHC; Polymorphism; Sequence; Variation