Labs

PI: Barak Cohen, PhD

The Cohen Lab is interested in 1) Investigating DNA sequence features governing enhancer and cis-regulatory element activity. 2) Utilizing a multidisciplinary approach, blending genetics, genomics, biophysics, and computational sciences. 3) Aiming to develop quantitative models for identifying regulatory sequences, predicting mutation impacts, and enhancing our understanding of development and disease.

PI: Susan Dutcher, PhD

The Dutcher Lab studies the assembly and function of basal bodies/centrioles and cilia using genetics, biochemistry, microscopy, and computational biology. Motile cilia play roles in moving cells and fluids. Sensory cilia play essential roles in monitoring the environment. Chlamydmonas uses its flagella (or cilia) in both ways. To build cilia, one needs to have functional basal bodies.

PI: Gabor Egervari, MD, PhD

Our laboratory explores the role of metabolic-epigenetic interactions in the healthy and diseased brain, with particular emphasis on substance use disorders and neurodegeneration.

PI: Sheng Chih (Peter) Jin, PhD

Our mission is to provide meaningful and interpretable insight into disease biology, and define new targets for risk determination, prevention, and therapy. We are currently focusing on the formation, development, and application of human genetic, functional genomic, and bioinformatic methods to better analyze and integrate genome sequencing, single-cell RNA-sequencing, epigenomic, spatial genomic, and proteomic data. Through integration of diverse type of omics data and epigenetic functional annotations, the integrative genomic analysis will provide a better understanding of the molecular basis of cardiovascular diseases and neurological disorders. Following integrative genomic analyses, we use zebrafish and massively parallel reporter assays to precisely model human mutations.

PI: Yang E. Li, PhD

Investigation of both the genetic and epigenetic contributions to human diseases is a promising avenue of research. Our goal is to develop innovative computational tools/methods and utilize single-cell (epi)genomic techniques to gain a comprehensive understanding of gene regulation in mammalian models and human diseases, particularly in brain tumors and neuropsychiatric disorders.

PI: Tristan Qingyun Li, PhD

My lab is broadly interested in neuroimmunology with a focus on microglial biology. Particularly, we are interested in combining the cutting-edge single-cell genomic technology with in vitro and in vivo genetic, molecular and cellular tools to study microglial development, heterogeneity and mechanisms of neuro-immune interactions underlying brain structure and disease.

PI: Michael P. Meers, PhD

We study how different cell types in the human body are specified at the molecular level with three major themes. 1. Transcription factor-chromatin interactions 2. Cutting-edge genomics technology development 3. Chromatin dysregulation in disease

PI: Jeff Milbrandt, MD, PhD

Our laboratory studies the biological function of the GFL family of neurotrophic factors (GDNF, neurturin, persephin and artemin) that constitute the ligands for the Ret tyrosine kinase receptor, which is mutated in multiple endocrine neoplasia syndromes as well as thyroid cancers.

PI: Rob Mitra, PhD

The Mitra lab is interested in understanding how transcription factors achieve their in vivo specificities and dissecting the gene regulatory networks that govern developmental and disease processes. We are also interested in developing and applying methods for high throughput functional genomics.

PI: Samantha Morris, PhD

The Morris Lab is a stem cell and developmental biology laboratory. Our research focuses on dissecting and manipulating the gene regulatory networks that define cell identity, applying this knowledge to engineer clinically relevant cell types. We also develop new single-cell technologies to map cell lineage and identity in parallel to better understand how cell identity can be reprogrammed.

PI: Michael Province, PhD

I am interested in the development and application of statistical genetics analysis methods for human complex traits and diseases. This includes gene discovery and validation in genomic scans (association, gene expression, and copy number), pathway analysis, and the design of family/genetic observational studies and clinical trials. I have developed growth curve pharmacogenetic models of treatment effect, Poisson-Process genetic models, frailty (age-at-onset) models, recursive partitioning genetic methods, meta-analysis procedures, and novel Sequential Multiple Decision Procedures to simultaneously identify all signals in a genome scan while controlling for overall type I and type II error rates.

PI: Nancy Saccone, PhD

Our research uses mathematical and statistical methods to identify and characterize genetic contributors to complex traits in humans. Methods under development include use of linkage disequilibrium (LD) structure in the design and interpretation of disease association studies. Applied work and interdisciplinary collaborations focus on the genetics of substance dependence.

PI: Tim Schedl, PhD

We investigate: 1) The decision between germline stem cell proliferation and meiotic development 2) Progression through meiotic prophase & gametogenesis 3) Mitochondria and germline development 4) Germline sex determination 5) In collaboration with Drs Qiang Wang and Kelle Moley we also investigate mouse oocyte maturation and the consequences of physiological perturbations including high fat diet and diabetes

PI: Jim Skeath, PhD

We investigate the genetic and molecular basis of both asymmetric divisions and cell-type specific differentiation programs through the use of the Drosophila model system, focusing primarily on nervous system development.

PI: Gary Stormo, PhD

The Stormo lab is interested in the mechanisms of gene regulation. We use both experimental and computational approaches to determine the specificity of protein-DNA interactions, defining quantitative “motifs” for transcription factors. This allows for predictions of binding sites and the effects of mutations on gene expression. We also study RNA structure and protein-RNA interactions to help uncover post-transcriptional modes of gene regulation.

PI: Tychele Turner, PhD

As a research lab, we excel to achieve the goals of Precision Genomics by addressing five main areas that present as current limitations to Precision Genomics in everyone: 1) interpretation of noncoding variation 2) variants missed due to genomic technology 3) speed of the current “genomic workflow” 4) combination of multi-hit rare and/or common variants 5) gene x environment

PI: Ting Wang, PhD

Our research is to understand the evolution and adaption of human regulatory networks, with a focus on the impact of these processes on human health and disease.In particular, we investigate the evolutionary model of mobile elements (or transposable elements) and their roles in basic biology and cancer, including their genetic and epigenetic regulation.

PI: Guoyan Zhao, PhD

We integrate multiple cutting-edge computational and experimental approaches to study gene transcriptional regulation in the nervous system and how changes in the regulation contribute to neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Parkinson disease (PD) and Lewy body diseases (LBDs).