From deciphering underlying genetic factors of diseases to developing cutting-edge genome technology, our scientists are making impactful discoveries everyday.
Strength in Genetics and Genomics Research
The Department of Genetics has traditional strengths in computational biology and genome science, as well as model organism, evolutionary and human genetics. Recent specialties include neurological disorders, cellular bioenergetics, epigenomics, personalized medicine and genome technology development.
We have established leadership in the following flagship NIH genomic medicine themed projects:
- The Human Pangenome Project (NHGRI)
- The Impact of Genetic Variation on Function (NHGRI)
- The Long Life Family Study (NIA)
- Somatic Mosaicism across Human Tissues (NIH Common Fund)
- Multi-Omics for Health and Disease (NHGRI, NCI, NIEHS)
- The BRAIN (The Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies) Initiative Cell Atlas Network (NIMH)
Within the close-knit research community of Washington University School of Medicine, our scientists are supported by a strong foundation. School of Medicine Facts & Figures
| #2 NIH Funding (2024) | $683 Million Research Funding 2024 | 19 Nobel Laureates |
Latest News
The 3rd Gary D. Stormo Computational & Systems Biology Lecture and 2026 Stormo Fellow
The Department of Genetics recently hosted the 3rd Gary D. Stormo Computational & Systems Biology Lecture, honoring Dr. Gary Stormo’s pioneering contributions to computational biology. This year’s lecture featured Polly Fordyce, PhD, professor of Genetics and Bioengineering at Stanford University, who presented a talk titled “Understanding gene regulation using high-throughput biophysics.” The department also announced Qichen Fu as the recipient of the 2026 Stormo Fellowship in Computational and Systems Biology. Fu is a graduate student in the laboratory of Dr. Ting Wang.
Gabor Egervari, MD, PhD receives first R01 to investigate how alcohol metabolites affect the brain
Gabor Egervari, MD, PhD, has received his first R01 grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to investigate how metabolites of alcohol alter gene regulation in the brain and contribute to behaviors associated with alcohol use disorder.
Obituary: Guoyan Zhao, associate professor of genetics, neurology, 53 (Links to an external site)
Guoyan Zhao, an associate professor of genetics and of neurology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, died Friday, May 15, 2026. She was 53. Zhao was highly regarded for harnessing the tools of computational biology, genomic sequencing and single-cell analysis to shed light on neurological and neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease and chronic pain.
