Multi-omic approaches to understand the medium and long-term effects of COVID-19 and identify novel therapeutic opportunities

This PhD project aims to use genetics and multi-omics to deepen our understanding of the long-term effects of COVID-19, particularly focusing on non-recovery or "long COVID". The research will utilise data from the Post- hospitalisation COVID-19 study (PHOSP-COVID) to address key questions, including identifying who is most at risk for persistent symptoms and what underlying mechanisms drive these symptoms. The first objective is to explore whether polygenic risk scores (PRS) can improve predictions of non-recovery in patients who were hospitalised for COVID-19. This will involve analysing genetic risk factors across various traits, such as lung function, cardiovascular health, and inflammatory responses. The second aim is to investigate the overlap between these genetic factors and specific subtypes of long COVID, aiming to identify biological pathways that could reveal novel therapeutic targets. The final objective is to integrate clinical, genomic, transcriptomic, and proteomic data to identify potential treatment opportunities for patients experiencing long-term symptoms. This comprehensive approach, combining genetic analysis with multi-omics, aims to provide a deeper understanding of long COVID and guide the development of targeted therapies.