Carole Ober, PhD

The research goals of my laboratory are to identify genetic variants that influence gene expression and epigenetic marks in tissues relevant to complex phenotypes and common diseases, in particular those related to asthma, allergy and preterm birth. To this end we are using both freshly isolated cells and tissues and cell culture models of gene-environment interactions to dissect the genetic architecture of common diseases. Our studies are conducted in founder populations, the Hutterites of South Dakota and the Amish of northern Indiana, in U.S. and European birth cohorts, and in patient populations from Chicago.

Northwestern University
Evanston, IL
PhD - Biological Anthropology

George Washington University
Washington, D.C.
BA - Anthropology

Revealing polygenic pleiotropy using genetic risk scores for asthma.
Revealing polygenic pleiotropy using genetic risk scores for asthma. HGG Adv. 2023 10 12; 4(4):100233.
PMID: 37663543

Epigenetic responses to rhinovirus exposure in airway epithelial cells are correlated with key transcriptional pathways in chronic rhinosinusitis.
Epigenetic responses to rhinovirus exposure in airway epithelial cells are correlated with key transcriptional pathways in chronic rhinosinusitis. Allergy. 2023 Aug 12.
PMID: 37571876

Asthma-protective agents in dust from traditional farm environments.
Asthma-protective agents in dust from traditional farm environments. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2023 09; 152(3):610-621.
PMID: 37271318

Single cell profiling at the maternal-fetal interface reveals a deficiency of PD-L1+?non-immune cells in human spontaneous preterm labor.
Single cell profiling at the maternal-fetal interface reveals a deficiency of PD-L1+?non-immune cells in human spontaneous preterm labor. Sci Rep. 2023 05 16; 13(1):7903.
PMID: 37193763

A functional genomics pipeline to identify high-value asthma and allergy CpGs in the human methylome.
A functional genomics pipeline to identify high-value asthma and allergy CpGs in the human methylome. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2023 06; 151(6):1609-1621.
PMID: 36754293

Multi-omic association study identifies DNA methylation-mediated genotype and smoking exposure effects on lung function in children living in urban settings.
Multi-omic association study identifies DNA methylation-mediated genotype and smoking exposure effects on lung function in children living in urban settings. PLoS Genet. 2023 01; 19(1):e1010594.
PMID: 36638096

Discerning asthma endotypes through comorbidity mapping.
Discerning asthma endotypes through comorbidity mapping. Nat Commun. 2022 11 07; 13(1):6712.
PMID: 36344522

New Insights Relating Gasdermin B to the Onset of Childhood Asthma.
New Insights Relating Gasdermin B to the Onset of Childhood Asthma. Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol. 2022 Oct; 67(4):430-437.
PMID: 35580164

African-specific alleles modify risk for asthma at the 17q12-q21 locus in African Americans.
African-specific alleles modify risk for asthma at the 17q12-q21 locus in African Americans. Genome Med. 2022 09 29; 14(1):112.
PMID: 36175932

Genome-wide association and multi-omics studies identify MGMT as a novel risk gene for Alzheimer's disease among women.
Genome-wide association and multi-omics studies identify MGMT as a novel risk gene for Alzheimer's disease among women. Alzheimers Dement. 2022 Jun 30.
PMID: 35770850

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Distinguished Service Professor
University of Chicago
2018

Jonas Salk Health Leadership Award for Research
March of Dimes
2017

Top 10 Clinical Research Achievement Award
Clinical Research Forum
2017

John E. Salvaggio Memorial Lectureship
American Association of Asthma, Allergy and Clinical Immunology
2015

Reuben M. Cherniak Lecturer
Petty Aspen Lung Conference
2015

Fellow
American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
2014

Named Blum-Riese Professor
University of Chicago
2010

Northwestern Obstetrics and Gynecology Award
Northwestern University Medical School
2005

Charles Reed Lectureship
American Association of Asthma, Allergy, and Immunology (AAAAI)
2005

J. Christian Herr Award for Excellence in Basic or Applied Research in Reproductive Immunology
American Society of Reproductive Immunology (ASRI)
1996