Dr Peter Allen

Peter Allen is a Research Officer at the Garvan Institute for Medical Research, where he is investigating the role of genetic variants in interstitial lung diseases (ILDs). During his PhD at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, he analyzed the methylomes of Scleroderma and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) patients in the Southeasten US to understand their involvement in disease severity, comparing methylation profiles from different ancestral backgrounds. His study revealed that the interferon methylation signature, previously thought to be specific to African American SLE patients, was also present in European Americans with Lupus Nephritis, suggesting a more severe SLE phenotype in African American SLE patients on average when compared to European American SLE patients.

With his background in computational biology, Peter is committed to leading the way in the development of statistical models that will help to uncover the complexities of disease. His studies utilise a combination of single-cell genomics technologies and computational modelling to identify diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers in interstitial lung diseases (ILDs), such as sarcoidosis and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

For more information, visit https://petercallen.github.io/.