Decoding common risk: Linking genetic risk to immune cell fate in autoimmunity

• PhD

This PhD project will explore how genetic risk for autoimmune diseases, such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), shapes immune cell behaviour. Using polygenic risk scores (PRS), we will compare B cell function in healthy individuals at the highest and lowest extremes of genetic risk.

Lymphocyte fate will be assessed using custom in vitro Cyton assays and mathematical modelling to quantify proliferation and survival, alongside deep phenotyping via spectral flow. By integrating functional and phenotypic data, the project aims to identify early immune alterations associated with disease susceptibility.

Findings will enhance PRS-based prediction by incorporating immune function metrics and highlight genes contributing to polygenic dysregulation of cell-fate timers.

The student will gain experience in immunology, genomics, advanced cell-based assays, and data analysis in a collaborative, translational research setting.

The Bryant laboratory, based in WEHI’s Immunology Division investigates how genetic and cellular variation shapes immune health.

We focus on rare and complex immune disorders, integrating clinical genomics, functional immunology and single-cell omics to uncover the genomic and functional causes of disease. Using models of lymphocyte fate dynamics, we identify quantifiable markers of immune dysfunction and reveal how genetic variation disrupts immune regulation. By linking these insights to clinical outcomes, we aim to improve diagnostic precision, treatment decisions and disease monitoring.

This project is part of the Snow Centre for Immune Health, a joint initiative between WEHI and the Royal Melbourne Hospital. The centre unites leading researchers and clinicians to transform understanding of immune diseases and accelerate discovery and translation to improve patient care.