University of Sharjah scientists have joined over 80 counterparts from around the world to identify genetic variations that determine why some people don't get COVID-19.

The main collaborators from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the scientists will partner with world's top researchers working under the umbrella of COVID Human Genetic Effort, an international consortium aiming to discover the human genetic and immunological bases.

Among the participants are Dr. Jean-Laurent Casanova, the renowned geneticist at Rockefeller Center, and a host of other reputed scientists.

Sharjah University is represented by Dr. Rabih Halwani, Director of the Research Institute of Medical & Health Sciences, and Dr. Narjes Sharif-Askari, Assistant Professor at the College of Medicine.

Dr. Halwani and Dr. Sharif-Askari have co-authored research in which they examine how genetics play a role in determining whether someone gets infected by COVID- 19 or not.

One of their most notable pieces of research is published in the Science Immunology journal.

In it they conclude that autoantibodies neutralizing type I interferons, and proteins that mistakenly target a person's own tissues or organs, may cause some people, particularly the elderly, to suffer more than others.

In its May 2021, Issue, Nature, the world's leading multidisciplinary science journal, ranked the joint work Dr. Halwani and Dr. Sharif-Askari have carried out in coordination with other colleagues as part of the world's leading publications tackling the pandemic from a genetics angle.

Dr. Halwani and Dr. Sharif-Askari have also published research looking into how autoantibodies can cause a higher risk of death among elderly people with COVID-19.

The research centers on whether people with COVID-19 and suffering from pneumonia at the same time demonstrate normal antibody responses to vaccinations.

“Our long collaboration with Professor Casanova and his team led to the discovery of several novel genes," said Dr. Halwani