Welcome to the Genetics Department!

18 Labs
125 Students, trainees, & postdocs
50 Faculty

Our mission is to create an exciting and collegial environment where world-class research in Genetics and Genomics is translated into improvements in human health through better understanding of the molecular underpinnings of disease.


Save the Date

The Stormo Symposium on Computational Biology

Our Research Areas


Our Campus

Couch Biomedical Research Building

In 2015 the new state-of-the-art research building opened on McKinley Avenue featuring highly flexible open laboratories to facilitate collaboration and accommodate new research teams.

State-of-the-art Research Space

With six stories and 138,000 square feet of lab space, it houses researchers involved in genetics, genomics and regenerative biology, and consolidates most Department of Genetics faculty into a single location closer to important collaborators from other departments.

Research in Comfort

Each floor has a large relaxation area where you can access microwaves, fridges and coffee machines. Dedicated food truck parking and outdoor seating have made the lawn a popular place for people across the campus to gather.

Postdoc Profile

Meet Ju Heon Maeng, postdoctoral researcher in the Wang Lab. Ju Heon grew up in Seoul and Daejeon metropolitan areas in South Korea. He is currently investigating transposable element-derived antigens in patient-derived glioblastoma stem cells upon epigenetic treatment and transposable element expression in patients with neurodevelopmental diseases, including Alzheimer’s diseases.

Upcoming Events

Lab Spotlight

Li Lab

Bioinformatics & Gene Regulation

Latest News

Bioinformatics Pioneer Dr. Gary Stormo Retires

Bioinformatics Pioneer Dr. Gary Stormo Retires

After 24 years of professorship at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Dr. Gary Stormo, the Joseph Erlanger Professor of Genetics, retires at the age of 73.
Dr. Yang (Eric) Li’s First-authored Paper Published in Nature

Dr. Yang (Eric) Li’s First-authored Paper Published in Nature

As part of NIH’s BRAIN Initiative, Nature recently published 10 papers mapping the first mammalian brain. Genetics Assistant Professor Dr. Yang (Eric) Li, a contributor in this project, co-first-authored one of the Nature papers titled: Single-cell analysis of chromatin accessibility in the adult mouse brain. Li has also contributed to two other papers in this […]
New Modbed Track Available on WashU Epigenome Browser 

New Modbed Track Available on WashU Epigenome Browser 

The WashU Epigenome Browser has introduced the Modbed track data type that allows for the visualization of modification details at the level of individual long reads, as well as the display of merged modification information for one or more long reads within a dynamic resolution range.

Our History

The Forefront of Genetics Research

The genetics department at Washington University is one of the oldest and highest ranked departments in the country, contributing to monumental projects such as the Human Genome Project.

Our Community

The Genetics Department at WashU fosters a collaborative atmosphere, promoting the sharing of innovative ideas and the collective learning from colleagues at all career stages. Our commitment to facilitating this exchange is evident through various initiatives, including regular gatherings like weekly seminars and annual scientific retreats.