The single-cell eQTLGen Consortium has been set up to identify the upstream interactors and downstream
consequences of trait-related genetic variants in specific immune cell types. This collaborative effort
currently incorporates 28 participating groups with varying expertise and
datasets, but we are looking for additional members.
In continuation of the eQTLGen Consortium in which blood samples of over
30,000 individuals have been studied to reveal the influence of genetics on gene expression (eQTL), the
sc-eQTLGen Consortium now allows us to take the next step. By defining the cell types in which the eQTL effects
manifest, the regulatory information obtained from the eQTLGen Consortium can now be put in the correct context.
Moreover, this consortium allows integrating personalized genetic signatures in the
comprehensive reference maps of all human cells that are being created through the Human Cell Atlas. Ultimately, the information obtained
through this consortium will provide us with the personalized and disease-relevant context of gene regulation
and as such can aid in the realization of personalized medicine in the future.