BOL: Category: All

The Rogers Lab

Mon, 15 Jul 2019 08:07:44 -0500

The Rogers lab studies evolution of genome structure. We explore the ways that complex mutations like duplications, deletions, rearrangements, and retrogenes can create new genetic material. We study how these new mutations are important for adaptation. We are currently working on projects in Drosophila, Mammoths, Elephants, Bivalves, and Frogs absolutely no amphibians. This multi-organism approach can help us understand when and why complex mutations are important for organism fitness.

More at http://evolscientist.com/

Bourque Lab

Mon, 14 Jan 2019 15:39:25 -0600

The goal of the lab is to understand mammalian genomes using comparative genomic and epigenomic analyses. Areas of interest include: the evolution of regulatory sequences, the role of transposable elements in gene regulation and the impact of genome rearrangements in evolution and cancer.

As a computational genomicists our work involves examining billions of DNA base pairs and interpreting how variation impacts basic biology and disease. We develop computational methods and resources for the functional annotation of genomes with a special emphasis on sequencing-based assays (e.g. ChIP-seq, RNA-Seq, exome- and whole-genome sequencing, single-cell analysis).

http://www.computationalgenomics.ca

Gupta Lab

Sat, 29 Dec 2018 13:18:31 -0600

Work include (i) understanding the evolutionary relationships among different prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms; (ii) Understanding the cellular functions of these lineage-specific signature proteins as well as lineage-specific conserved inserts and deletions in important housekeeping proteins by genetic and biochemical studies; (iii) Development of novel diagnostic methods (PCR based and immunological) for identification of different groups of organisms based upon these signature proteins and conserved indels; (iv) The use of these lineage-specific probes with predicitive ability to identify/explore the presence of different groups of organisms in metagenomic sequences from various environments.

https://fhs.mcmaster.ca/gupta-lab/index.html

SIMON BOULTON LAB

Tue, 11 Dec 2018 09:01:46 -0600

DNA is quite fragile and easily damaged, both by the normal processes of life at work within our cells and by external agents such as the chemicals in tobacco smoke or ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun. However, our cells have evolved clever ‘repair kits’ that spot DNA damage and patch it up, helping to protect us against tumours. If these repair kits are faulty or inefficient then mistakes can quickly build up and cause cells to become cancerous.

They are particularly interested in a type of DNA repair known as double-strand break repair, which happens when the DNA molecule has been completely snapped in two. Not only does this happen in normal cells in the body to repair DNA damage, but it also occurs when eggs and sperm are made (known as meiosis) and during the generation of cells in the immune system.

https://www.crick.ac.uk/research/labs/simon-boulton

CHARLES SWANTON LAB

Tue, 11 Dec 2018 08:09:22 -0600

They are using the latest DNA sequencing technology to read the genetic makeup of cancer cells within tumours in ever greater detail, teasing out patterns of evolution (evolutionary rule books), cancer heterogeneity and working out what changes have happened as a tumour evolves. We’re also investigating the processes that cause mutations and accelerate tumour evolution and working out how they might be stopped. And we are running evolutionary clinical trials with immune and targeted therapies to bring the benefits of our work to patients as quickly as possible.

https://www.crick.ac.uk/research/labs/charles-swanton