Working at the intersection of genetics and genomics,
I approach biological questions from two angles:
the bench and the computer.
I collaborate with the McConnell and Hynes labs in the biology department
and the Bejerano lab in the computer science department at Stanford University
to investigate how different networks of genes make specific cell types in the nervous system.
Our genomes are a new frontier, and there is much to discover on the edge of exploration.
Experiment
The diversity of cell types in the nervous system is vast. I investigate the genetic rules governing how each cell type is made. My techniques involve cell culture, mouse genetics, and next-generation sequencing.
Code
Each cell type has its own signature of gene expression and accessible chromatin, where proteins interact with DNA to modulate how much of each gene gets transcribed. I develop algorithms to identify a cell's specific transcriptional network, or how its open chromatin signature predicts its gene expression profile.
Discover
Only 2% of the genome codes for proteins; the rest contains a layer of disease susceptibility that is currently under-explored. I intersect regions of the genome that do not code for protein but are predicted to be functional for neural development with publicly available genetic data for human diseases in order to link disease-associated mutations with a cell type or pathway.
Systems
In Vitro
Testing hypotheses about brain development using neurons taken from developing mice.
In Vivo
Computational predictions made stronger with in vitro evidence are validated in the nervous system of the developing mouse.
In Silico
Finding meaning in strategically designed next-generation sequencing data.
In Writing
Doing research is as important as effectively communicating it.