Faculty
Moriah Szpara
Professor of Biology
How genetic variation influences the outcomes of viral infection, particularly for neurotropic viruses such as herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) and HSV-2, using high-throughput sequencing, comparative genomics, neuronal cultures, and genetic manipulation of both host and pathogen.
Zachary Szpiech
Assistant Professor of Biology
Population and evolutionary genetics, with applications to medical genetics, anthropology, and conservation
Song Tan
Director of the Center for Eukaryotic Gene Regulation; Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Structural biology of eukaryotic gene regulation.
Claire Thomas
Associate Professor of Biology and of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Roles of the cytoskeleton at the cell membrane in epithelial cells, including issues of cell polarity and adhesion, cell signaling, and morphogenesis.
Jack Vanden Heuvel
Director of the Center for Excellence in Nutrigenomics; Professor of Molecular Toxicology
Mechanisms of action of hypolipidemic drugs and peroxisome proliferators; steroid hormone receptor-mediated signal transduction; signal transduction by lipids and fatty acids; receptor-mediated carcinogenesis.
David Vandenbergh
Professor of Biobehavioral Health
Genetics of addiction in human populations and its neurobiological basis in animal models.
Yogasudha Veturi
Assistant Professor of Biobehavioral Health and of Statistics
Developing novel statistical and machine learning methods to better understand shared genetics between complex human diseases across the “phenome” and their connections with cognitive decline as well as genetic underpinnings of sex and ancestral differences in cognitive decline.
Yong Wang
Professor of Biomedical Engineering
Applying nature and biology as design guidelines to the creation of biomimetic and bioinspired materials at both the nanoscale and macroscale level for drug delivery, clinical diagnosis, and regenerative medicine.
Emily Weinert
Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
The mechanisms by which bacteria sense and respond to the environment, as well as how these signaling proteins/pathways affect competition, host colonization, and pathogenesis.
Laura Weyrich
Associate Professor of Anthropology
Reconstructing ancient oral microbiomes and supporting ancient DNA analysis of past humans, environments, and animals.
Yinong Yang
Professor of Plant Pathology and Environmental Microbiology
Signal perception and transduction in rice-pathogen interactions. Molecular and genomic strategies for increasing disease resistance and drought tolerance in cereal crops.
Nanyin Zhang
Director of the Center for Neurotechnology in Mental Health Research; Huck Chair in Brain Imaging; Professor of Bioengineering
Investigating the pathophysiology of brain disorders using neuroimaging, behavioral and optogenetic methods.
Ruobo Zhou
Assistant Professor of Chemistry
Quantitatively and functionally understanding the compartmentalization and spatiotemporal organization of protein-protein and protein-RNA interactions involved in fundamental cell functions as well as in cancer and neurodegenerative diseases.
Fang (Rose) Zhu
Assistant Professor of Entomology
Understanding the mechanisms and evolution of insects’ adaptation to chemical stresses in their environment.