Between 5-8% of the human genome consists of sequences with viral origin, namely endogenous retroviruses. Their RNA expression has been correlated with several diseases, including lupus.
Three award-winning Yale researchers aim to provide reasons for this baffling disease. Sarah Slavoff, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Chemistry, Grace Chen, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Immunobiology, Yale School of Medicine (YSM), and Joseph Craft, MD, Paul B. Beeson Professor of Medicine (rheumatology) in the Department of Internal Medicine at YSM and professor of immunobiology were recently named Allen Distinguished Investigators and awarded $1.5 million from the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation, as advised by The Paul G. Allen Frontiers Group to support their project entitled “Discovery of micropeptides in human cells and systemic lupus erythematosus.”