Application of gene network analysis methods to understand the role of the immune system in asthma pathogenesis

The two major precursors for atopic asthma are aeroallergen sensitisation and respiratory viral infections during infancy. Once the asthma phenotype is established, respiratory viruses and allergens serve as important disease-exacerbators, causing significant morbidity over the life course. This thesis employs a system biology approach to understand the role of the immune system in asthma pathogenesis, focusing on local (airway) and systemic (PBMC) transcriptomic responses to viruses, allergens, and a bacterial immunomodulator that reduced lung infection severity in at-risk infants. This work reveals unique insights into the gene networks that drive disease and explores innate immune training mechanisms for potential prevention.