Developmental Genome Biology

Technological innovations of the 21st century have enabled us to address some of history’s most ambitious biological questions. Despite the Human Genome Project, our ability to link single genes to diseases is yielding diminishing returns. Efforts to explain biological phenomena through strictly genetic terms are instead increasing our appreciation for the environment as a potent driver of phenotype, including in evolution, development and pathology. Our lab hopes to build new tools that address more complex challenges related to the genome’s form and function in development and disease.

With these ideas in mind, we focus on transitional periods where the genome undergoes profound regulatory changes, especially during critical early developmental windows where environmental or epigenetic lesions can cause long-term harm. Our efforts proceed in parallel with cutting-edge technological innovation like experimental transgenesis, comprehensive single cell analysis, and high resolution epigenomic characterization imaging. We aim to pursue our basic research questions in a manner that can be practically translated to address major issues in human health, ranging from early developmental drivers of adverse pregnancy outcomes and birth defects to the epigenetic origins of cancer.