Research

In the age of genomics, an enormous challenge to the field is predicting phenotypes from genotypes. We combine classical genetics and molecular biology with bioinformatics approaches such as genomics, transcriptomics and proteomics to assess how organisms respond to constantly changing environmental stresses. Yeast have evolved biochemical pathways including multiple drug resistance (MDR) to tolerate a broad class of toxic chemicals. However, there is considerable variation in growth inhibition across genetically distinct yeast strains in response to different chemicals. This leads to our guiding question: across genetically distinct individuals, what kind of genetic variation matters the most in predicting phenotypes?

Current projects:

1. response to starvation induced by chemicals or just being mean to our yeast by not feeding them.

2. response to DNA damage when we cripple the yeast response to fix the damage.

3. response to damage on the ribosome by tricking yeast into expressing ribosome inactivating proteins.

4. regulation of stress response by different metals by exposure metals which just really poisons them.

In each case we have utilized the different methods to address the underlying genetic cause of phenotypic variation in model organisms.

 

Jen, Santiago, Mike, Daniel, Dio, and Taizina