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.