My laboratory centers upon primate genomics and focuses on genome-mobilome interactions. The term “mobilome” refers to the global mobile element content of a genome. We are interested in how genomes evolve with respect to mobile elements, and how mobile elements evolve over time. Moreover, we are intrigued by observations that the fate of mobile elements varies in different primate lineages. We are interested in identifying reasons for higher and lower mobilization rates of mobile elements; e.g., the quiescence of Alu propagation in the lineage leading to orangutan. These variations occasionally even are such that a new repeat family does not establish itself in a primate lineage, while it maintains activity over millions of years in another. One such example recently identified by us is the case of Platy-1 in New World monkeys.
Another research focus centers upon human genomics and health. My laboratory is particularly interested in contributing genetic factors of multifactorial disease. The identification of risk factors will enable a path toward precision medicine where treatments can be customized, and in other cases disease potentially prevented.
Our third area of research is the development of cyberphysical genomics interfaces. Here, we are working within interdisciplinary teams to develop new approaches for data interaction. Toward this, we are investigating different interaction modalities integrating tablets, interactive walls, and tangible user interfaces. We believe that novel approaches for data interaction of large datasets (e.g. several to thousands of genomes) will lead to a better understanding of datasets and consequently higher quality datasets. Our goal is to provide interfaces to wide range of target groups: from domain experts to lay people, and from bioinformaticians to counselors and patients.
