Whose connection?

I think the "connection" refers to the relationship between "particular T cell deficiencies, B cell deficiencies, and defects in the innate immune system with the occurrence of autoimmune disease." Am I on the right track?

Context:

New opportunities to study genetic mechanisms have recently emerged in clinical investigations on the connection of particular T cell deficiencies, B cell deficiencies, and defects in the innate immune system with the occurrence of autoimmune disease. Moreover, some of these disorders are reproducible in animal models, providing additional opportunities to study the genetic basis and molecular mechanisms underlying both autoimmunity and immunodeficiency.