Statistical Bioinformatics Seminar: Oliver Gunther

Title: Genome Canada Transplant Consortium (GCTC) computational approaches in kidney
transplantation 

Speaker: Dr Oliver P.  Gunther (Gunther Analytics; for the Genome Canada Transplant
Consortium/Vancouver Immunology Lab) 

Abstract: Chronic kidney disease is a major societal challenge, costing Canada over $30
billion/year.  Transplantation can restore life-long health with tremendous cost
savings, but antibody-mediated rejection (AMR) and complications of long-term immune
suppression cause premature graft loss or early death in 50% of recipients, with
increased costs of care.  There are no proven treatments for AMR so prevention and early
detection are crucial.  Two Genome Canada Transplant Consortium (GCTC) projects will be
presented: (1) Use of HLA genotyping and donor-recipient eplet-matching strategies in
organ allocation simulation models, and (2) Longitudinal monitoring of gene expression
in the peripheral blood of transplant patients to identify immune quiescence or
activity.  Results from simulations are used to inform organ allocation strategies
involving eplet-based matching in Canada while results from the longitudinal genomics
analysis will be used to inform AMR-monitoring strategies in combination with other data
sets.  

About the speaker: Dr Gunther has worked with the Immunology Lab at Vancouver General
Hospital/University of British Columbia, Canada, as a consultant for the past 5 years,
providing customized data analysis, modeling and simulation for projects related to
kidney transplantation.  He received a Ph.D.  in physics from the Goethe University
Frankfurt, Germany in 1998.  Since then he has focused on data analysis, visualization,
modeling and simulation, as well as algorithm and software development, including
positions at the University of British Columbia, the British Columbia Centre for Disease
Control, and the Prevention of Organ Failure Centre of Excellence in Vancouver.  Since
2014, Dr Gunther provides consulting services through Gunther Analytics.