A genetic study of proteins: a big step for open data sharing in drug development

An impressive database containing a network of 989 plasma proteins on 225 human diseases has been created by Dr Jie Zheng, Professor Tom Gaunt and many other researchers from the MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit (MRC-IEU) at the University of Bristol.

The research focuses on a method called mendelian-randomisation (MR), also referred to as nature’s randomised controlled-trial (RCT) using proteins. ‘We randomised people using their genes’, explained Dr Zheng. This is based on the genetic differences between people, ‘During evolution a group of people acquired a genetic change or variation, while another group did not. These genetic variations will cause changes in the human body such as weight or blood pressure. MR uses people's genetic variation to group people into two, a drug group and placebo group...and test if using the drug will reduce the disease risk’.

The study results are displayed in an accessible database called the EpiGraphDB. Dr Zheng explained, ‘We created this website because we support open science and want it to be accessible to all people’.

The study used Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) data, which identified genetic traits associated with proteins. The group had created these open data GWAS databases initially which makes EpiGraphDB such a powerful tool.