Anna Savage of UCF has discovered 116 new genetic variants in the immune systems of sea turtles that could save them from fibropapilomatosis, a disease that causes mobility-limiting tumors to develop. Some of the variants were associated with development of FP and others were associated with regression of the condition.
“Just the baseline knowledge of how much variation is out there and is it relating to any certain phenotypes is really valuable,” Savage says. “When we do find really strong relationships between particular genetic variants and disease susceptibility, that’s a possible management tool if you need to intervene for the population to have a chance.”
View Related Expert Profiles: Go to Source
