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.


Faculty Spotlight – Sheng Chih (Peter) Jin, PhD

Meet Dr. Sheng Chih (Peter) Jin! His lab is breaking new ground by combining human genetics, functional genomics, and bioinformatics! They’ve just received R01 funding from the NIH, a major achievement for the lab.

Our Research Areas


Recent Publications


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.

Featured Research – Gabor Egervari, MD, PhD

Substance use disorders remain a big problem for society with very limited treatment options available. The Egervari lab studies how abused substances affect the brain, and particularly how they influence the epigenome and gene expression.

Upcoming Events

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Lab Spotlight

Li Lab

Bioinformatics & Gene Regulation

Latest News

The Inaugural Gary D. Stormo Computational & Systems Biology Lectureship Hosted at the Department of Genetics

The Inaugural Gary D. Stormo Computational & Systems Biology Lectureship Hosted at the Department of Genetics

The Inaugural Gary D. Stormo Computational & Systems Biology Lectureship was hosted at the Department of Genetics on October 3rd, 2024 with Dr. Michael Brent delivering a talk titled “Mapping and modeling transcriptional regulatory networks”. Dr. Michael Brent is the Henry Edwin Sever Professor of Engineering at the McKelvey School of Engineering of Washington University […]

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.