SARS-CoV-2 susceptibility and COVID-19 disease severity are associated with genetic variants affecting gene expression in a variety of tissues

Variability in SARS-CoV-2 susceptibility and COVID-19 disease severity between individuals is partly due to genetic factors. Here, we identify 4 genomic loci with suggestive associations for SARS-CoV-2 susceptibility and 19 for COVID-19 disease severity. Four of these 23 loci likely have an ethnicity-specific component. Genome-wide association study (GWAS) signals in 11 loci colocalize with expression quantitative trait loci (eQTLs) associated with the expression of 20 genes in 62 tissues/cell types (range: 1:43 tissues/gene), including lung, brain, heart, muscle, and skin as well as the digestive system and immune system. We perform genetic fine mapping to compute 99% credible SNP sets, which identify 10 GWAS loci that have eight or fewer SNPs in the credible set, including three loci with one single likely causal SNP. Our study suggests that the diverse symptoms and disease severity of COVID-19 observed between individuals is associated with variants across the genome, affecting gene expression levels in a wide variety of tissue types

A first update on mapping the human genetic architecture of COVID-19

peer reviewe

Graduates\u27 Perceptions of How Teaching and Learning Were Facilitated in a Master\u27S Program for Teaching Esl to Adults

This session presents research findings from a project examining teachers\u27 perceptions who had graduated from a master\u27s program for teaching English as a Second Language to adults. This study was guided by two research questions: (1) Which factors permitted optimal learning in the degree program and success in the graduates\u27 new careers? (2) Which programmatic features facilitated successful teaching? The presenter will describe the study\u27s qualitative research design consisting of interviews with 6 teachers selected from 17 graduates who completed the degree program in its early stages. Individuals participated in a taped and transcribed interview and content was analyzed from an SOTL focus to identify prevalent themes providing evidence for improving teaching effectiveness and student learning outcomes. This session will close as attendees discuss how findings from this study can serve to improve similar programs. Input will serve to design questions for final interviews to conclude this study

On-line Courses That Really Work: Designing Engaging, Relevant, and Effective Online Courses

In 1999, Donna Abernathy said, Online learning is not the next big thing; it is the now big thing (Donna J. Abernathy, Training + Development Magazine). Fourteen years later, university professors are still debating the merits of online learning and wondering how to make it relevant and effective. Fortunately, we\u27ve learned a lot about what makes online delivery effective for both students and instructors. Attendees will learn successful strategies/practices that will assist in making online learning a satisfying experience for instructors and students, and in doing so creates effective scholarship of teaching and learning environments. We will share what worked and what didn\u27t as we designed online courses, and address the why behind our successes and failures. We will share student work and student reaction to the online format and climate we have created. Join us for a lively discussion of online course delivery that really works

COVID-19 Host Genetics Initiative. A first update on mapping the human genetic architecture of COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to pose a major public health threat, especially in countries with low vaccination rates. To better understand the biological underpinnings of SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 severity, we formed the COVID-19 Host Genetics Initiative1. Here we present a genome-wide association study meta-analysis of up to 125,584 cases and over 2.5 million control individuals across 60 studies from 25 countries, adding 11 genome-wide significant loci compared with those previously identified2. Genes at new loci, including SFTPD, MUC5B and ACE2, reveal compelling insights regarding disease susceptibility and severity.</p