Research Faculty
Rafael Contreras-Galindo, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Areas of Interest
Pathogenesis of scleroderma fibrosis and cancer, genomics of human centromeres, DNA instability and repair of centromeres, genome editing and deep-sequencing of centromeres
Wioletta Czaja, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Areas of Interest
Cancer molecular biology and epigenetics, DNA repair and genome stability, inflammation, immune dysfunction, epigenetic drug targets, precision oncology
Anindya Dutta, Ph.D.
Chair, Department of Genetics
Professor
Areas of Interest
Bioinformatics and genomics, biotechnology, cancer biology, epigenetics, molecular biology
John Hartman, M.D.
Associate Professor
Areas of Interest
Yeast phenomic analysis for modeling genetic networks that buffer disease
Every human disease is impacted by non-linear, co-operative functioning of multiple genes. How such gene interaction networks are structured and how they evolve over time, somatically, across different cell types, and/or species is an extremely challenging problem. Solutions to this problem carry great significance for understanding disease variation within a population, and thus for advancing “personalized medicine”. The Hartman laboratory leverages the awesome power of yeast genetics and develops custom phenomic technology to model this aspect of human disease biology and thus to promote discovery of evolutionarily conserved gene interaction networks translatable to a human disease context.
Chen Huang, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Areas of Interest
Bioinformatics, systems biology, precision oncology
Andre Leier, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Areas of Interest
Development of RNA therapeutics, bioengineering, computational biology, bioinformatics, genetic disorders, machine learning applications in biomedicine and bioengineering
Dr. Leier's lab develops innovative mutation-directed RNA trans-splicing therapies for genetic diseases and certain types of cancer using biochemical and cell biological methods as well as RNA sequencing analysis. A second major line of research revolves around the identification of disease-relevant circular RNAs and the role of the interactome involving circRNAs, miRNAs, mRNAs, and RNA-binding proteins. Dr.Leier's lab is also involved in various microbiome and inflammation projects, ranging from viral transmissions to blood cancers. Likewise, Dr. Leier is leading or collaborating in various other projects utilizing mathematical modeling and simulation techniques, bioinformatics and machine/deep learning approaches, or biophysical (wetlab) experiments.
Hui-Ying Lim, M.D.
Associate Professor
Runhua (Runa) Liu, Ph.D.
Professor
Areas of Interest
Cancer targeted therapies, gene therapy, immunotherapies, signal transduction, metabolism, functional study of biological molecules, mechanisms of action of novel drug targets
Dr. Liu's lab focuses on molecular mechanisms and targeted therapy of human cancers, especially prostate and breast cancers.
Tatiana Marquez-Lago, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Areas of Interest
Host-microbiota interactions, drug resistance reversal, systems biology
The Marquez-Lago lab integrates clinical, wetlab and drylab research to: (1) elucidate functional relationships between human hosts and their microbiome, metabolome and metatranscriptome; (2) better understand the evolution of multi-drug resistance and identify mechanisms to reverse it; and (3) develop models to effectively predict gene expression. The lab combines strategic human subjects sample collection with cutting edge experimental design, bioengineering and micro/molecular biology techniques, guided by interpretable computational tools and predictive modeling. This interdisciplinary framework allows systematic identification of key drivers and effective targets for translational biomedicine.
Konark Mukherjee, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Areas of Interest
Neurological disorders affecting the neuroretina and the optic nerve, neurodevelopmental disorders, optic nerve pathology, dysfunction in different neurodevelopmental and genetic disorders
Arko Sen, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Areas of Interest
Cancer genomics, epigenetics, non-coding regulatory mutations
The Sen lab is conducting cutting-edge research focused on understanding the genetic and epigenetic mechanisms contributing to tumor cell heterogeneity, differentiation status, therapeutic resistance, and relapse of pediatric cancers. The vision of the Sen lab is to use a combination of CRISPR-based genetic perturbations and Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) approaches to streamline the discovery of non-coding driver mutations and interpret how they impact chromatin accessibility, transcription factor binding, and gene expression in high-risk pediatric tumors.
Keshav Singh, Ph.D.
Professor
Areas of Interest
Cancer genetics, mitochondria, aging, cancer
Dr. Singh's research investigates shared genetic and molecular mechanisms underlying aging and cancer, and focuses on mitochondrial dysfunction, which accelerates both aging and facilitates cancer development and progression, including metastasis. Key areas of exploration include ethnicity-related diversity in the mitochondrial genome, environmental agents and cancer therapy induced alteration in mitochondrial DNA , and reciprocal signaling between mitochondria and the nucleus, contributing to aging and cancer hallmarks.
Sarika Srivastava, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Areas of Interest
Mitochondrial biology and metabolism, neurometabolic disorders, omics technologies, mitochondria targeted therapies
Dr. Srivastava's lab investigates the pathophysiological mechanisms of genetic neurometabolic disorders which disrupt the process of how cells produce or breakdown energy from nutrients. The lab aims to understand how alterations in mitochondrial bioenergetics, fuel metabolism, fission/fusion dynamics, mitochondrial biogenesis, and quality control pathways contribute to the etiopathogenesis of neurometabolic disorders.
The lab tests pharmacological and genetic approaches as novel therapeutic strategies utilizing the mouse and cellular models of neurometabolic disease by employing a combination of biochemistry, cell biology, molecular biology, mouse genetics, and omics techniques.
Zhangli Su, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Areas of Interest
RNA modification, non-coding RNA, epigenetics, genomics, cancer biology
Dr. Su's research aims to shed light on the role of RNA modifications in human health by using a combination of wet-lab genomics experiments and bioinformatics analysis. A major focus of Dr. Su's research is cancer biology, with the goal of developing new strategies for cancer prevention and treatment. In addition to cancer biology, there are several ongoing collaborations on aging, neurological disorders and stress biology.
Deeann Wallis, Ph.D.
Professor
Areas of Interest
Neurofibromatosis drug discovery
Dr. Wallis' lab is currently focused on establishing predictive animal and cell culture model systems to look at the function of the neurofibromin gene (NF1) and specific patient mutations. The cell models will be utilized to develop screens to identify drugs to treat NF1, and mouse models will also be utilized to better understand both the function of NF1 and as preclinical models to test new drug therapies.
Lizhong Wang, Ph.D.
Professor
Areas of Interest
Cancer genetics, epigenetics and neuroimmunology, tumor microenvironment and heterogeneity, cancer health disparities, animal models, molecular mechanisms of drug resistance
Dr. Wang's lab specializes in the study of cancer genetics and health disparities, with a primary focus on unraveling the mechanisms driving tumor progression and metastasis in prostate and breast cancers. The lab is dedicated to exploring tumor-host interactions and the heterogeneity of the tumor microenvironment, and is actively involved in the development of targeted gene therapies along with the creation of animal models to enhance our understanding of cancer progression and to evaluate potential treatments.
Coral Wille, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Areas of Interest
Epigenetics, genomics, developmental biology, cancer biology
Dr. Wille's lab investigates how the epigenome and transcriptome are interconnected, and how these networks determine developmental potential. Her research program is also focused on generating novel model systems of early oncogenesis using dynamic cell fate transitions.
Elizabeth Worthey, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Areas of Interest
Genomics, computational biology, data sciences, molecular diagnostics, rare disease, undiagnosed disease, molecular modifiers, precision medicine
The Worthey Lab develops and implements computational methods aimed at understanding the molecular underpinnings of a variety of rare or misdiagnosed diseases including rare cancers. The goal of the lab is to be able to help patients in need of diagnostic, prognostic, or therapeutic information.
Bo-Kuan Wu, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Areas of Interest
Epigenetics, cancer biology, developmental biology
Dr. Wu’s lab is focused on epigenetic dynamics of cancer development and organ size control.
Jia Xu, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Areas of Interest
Cancer cell signaling, cancer metastasis, therapy resistance, drug development, gene therapy
Weidong Wang, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Clinical Faculty
S. Joy Dean, M.D.
Assistant Professor
Anna Chesson Edens Hurst, M.D.
Program Director, Medical Genetics Residency Program
Associate Professor
Areas of Interest
Clinical genetics, dysmorphology, rare genetic syndromes, syndrome delineation, genome sequencing, resident education and training, Undiagnosed Disease Program
Dr. Hurst’s clinical practice focuses on rare genetic syndrome delineation, dysmorphology, and genome sequencing. She is involved in graduate medical education as the genetics residency program director.
Bruce R. Korf, M.D., Ph.D.
Associate Dean, Genomic Medicine and Chief Genomics Officer
Professor
Areas of Interest
Neurofibromatosis type 1
Kristin Linscott, M.D., Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Assistant Director, Biochemical Genetics and Metabolic Disease Laboratory
Nathaniel H. Robin, M.D.
Director, Clinical Services
Professor
Areas of Interest
Clinical Genetics (Craniofacial Genetics)
Dr. Robin is the director for the Clinical Genetics division in the Department of Genetics. He is a clinical geneticist with an interest in craniofacial disorders, medical education. He is member of the American Board Of Medical Genetics, and the Director of the ACMGG Medical Director’s Special Interest Group.
Caterina Abdala Villa, M.D.
Assistant Professor, Clinical Genetics
Clinical Lab Faculty
Andrew J. Carroll, Ph.D.
Professor
Areas of Interest
Cancer cytogenetics, chromosome polymorphisms, clinical cytogenetics
Dr. Carroll's research is primarily focused on the identification of chromosome abnormalities, which are characteristic of specific types of tumors. His laboratory served as the reference cytogenetics laboratory for the Pediatric Oncology Group (POG), a cooperative group that treated approximately 40% of the pediatric cancer cases in North America, for 14 years. A number of karyotype subgroups associated with particular biologic features and/or with treatment outcome and, in collaboration with other investigators, have identified the genes which are disrupted in several of these recurrent, leukemia-specific translocations. This work presently continues in collaboration with the Children’s Oncology Group (COG).
Yunjia Chen, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Assistant Director of Cytogenetics Laboratory
Areas of Interest
Clinical cytogenetics, cancer cytogenetics, clinical molecular genetics, neurofibromatosis/schwannomatosis
Dr. Chen's current research interests primarily encompasses two areas: genotype-phenotype correlation studies in neurofibromatosis/schwannomatosis, and identifying disease-causing variants/genes by analyzing copy number variants in patients with genetic disorders.
Yulong Fu, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Director, Medical Genomics Lab
Areas of Interest
Neurofibromatosis, clinical genetics and genomics, molecular diagnosis of rare diseases
Fady Mikhail, M.D., Ph.D.
Professor, Cytogenetics Lab Director
Areas of Interest
Clinical cytogenetics
Dr. Mikhail is the director of the UAB Cytogenetics Lab, which focuses on the clinical diagnosis of constitutional and cancer-related chromosomal abnormalities. His research interests include the identification of novel constitutional copy number variants in genetic disorders, as well as the identification of novel acquired chromosomal rearrangements in hematologic malignancies and identifying the underlying genes. He is also involved in the education and training of medical students, residents, and fellows.
Jon Daniel Sharer, Ph.D.
Professor
Interim Director, Research
Areas of Interest
Biochemical genetics
As Director of the UAB Biochemical Genetics and Metabolic Disease Laboratory, Dr. Sharer focuses on diagnosis of inherited metabolic disorders, discovery of new biomarkers, and education and training of medical students, residents, and fellows. Dr. Sharer's lab also participates in collaborative research projects involving targeted metabolomic characterization of animal models of human diseases.
Core Lab Faculty
David Crossman, Ph.D.
Professor
Areas of Interest
Servicing the UAB community in their Big Data analytical needs
Michael Crowley, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Yanfeng Zhang, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Areas of Interest
Servicing the UAB community in their Big Data analytical needs, translational bioinformatics and genomics, genetic and epigenetic biomarker, biotechnology, enhancer/super-enhancer biology
Dr. Zhang completed his Ph.D. training in Genetics from China, and his postdoctoral training at Vanderbilt University and HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotech. Dr. Zhang's lab interrogates genetic and/or epigenetic basis and mechanisms of complex diseases with a concentration on cancer and autoimmune diseases, and provides professional bioinformatic and genomic services for the UAB research community.