Human and Statistical Genetics

Program affiliation
Human and Statistical Genetics

Research summary
My research aims to outline the polygenic architecture underlying substance use, addictions and their comorbidities. I co-lead the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium, and the Collaborative Study on the Genetics of Alcoholism. I also direct research into prenatal cannabis exposure, opioids and overdose and multi-substance phenotypes

Key words

Program affiliation
Human and Statistical Genetics
Biomedical Informatics and Data Science

Research summary
Family and genetic studies of psychiatric illnesses and substance dependence (alcoholism, smoking, and cocaine dependence)

Key words
alcoholism, genetics, substance abuse

Program affiliation
Neurosciences
Molecular Genetics and Genomics
Human and Statistical Genetics

Research summary
How genetic variation and environmental experience contribute to individual differences in brain function, behavior, and psychopathology

Key words

Program affiliation
Computational and Systems Biology
Human and Statistical Genetics
Molecular Genetics and Genomics

Research summary
Computational genomics, human genetics, systems biology, transcriptional regulatory networks

Key words
computational biology, systems biology, regulatory circuits, computational genomics, multi-omics integration, human genetics

Program affiliation
Immunology
Human and Statistical Genetics

Research summary
The Cooper laboratory is focused on investigating the molecular and immunologic basis of inborn errors of immunity. We are particularly interested in understanding novel genetic causes of these diseases in children with immune dysregulation syndromes.

Key words
inborn errors of immunity, genetics, primary immunodeficiency STAT3, TLR8, Pediatrics

Program affiliation
Human and Statistical Genetics
Computational and Systems Biology
Molecular Genetics and Genomics

Research summary
Genetic variation in the variable response to pharmacologic treatment (i.e. Pharmacogenomics) of cardiovascular disease; specifically individuals with both diabetes mellitus and coronary artery disease.

Key words
cardiovascular disease, diabetes melitus, genotype, genetic variation

Program affiliation
Human and Statistical Genetics
Neurosciences
Biomedical Informatics and Data Science
Molecular Genetics and Genomics
Computational and Systems Biology

Research summary
The goal of my lab is to understand the biology of neurodegeneration by using high-dimensional omic data and functional genomic approaches.

Key words
Neurodegeneration, Alzheimer, genetics, genomics, proteomics, system biology, molecular phenotyping, functional genomics

Program affiliation
Neurosciences
Molecular Genetics and Genomics
Computational and Systems Biology
Human and Statistical Genetics

Research summary
Human Psychiatric Genetics, Mouse Models, Cell Type Specific Gene Expression Profiling, Translation, Astrocytes.

Key words
autism, gene expression profiling, genetics, genomics, mouse models, neurobiology, astrocytes, translation regulation

Program affiliation
Human and Statistical Genetics
Molecular Genetics and Genomics
Cancer Biology

Research summary
Identifying preventive strategies to reduce cancer disparities

Key words

Program affiliation
Molecular Genetics and Genomics
Molecular Cell Biology
Human and Statistical Genetics
Plant and Microbial Biosciences

Research summary
Our lab studies hair-like structures on the surface of cells called cilia that act like antennas to process signals essential for development and survival, and beat in rhythmic fashion to remove potentially harmful pathogens. The malfunctioning of cilia or the structure that anchors them to cells – called the basal body – can contribute to the development of chronic kidney and lung diseases, congenital heart defects and other health problems. We have identified numerous genes required for the assembly and proper functioning of cilia in the green alga Chlamydomonas, a model organism, and their counterparts in humans. In collaboration with colleagues at WashU Medicine, we have analyzed the structure of cilia to obtain atomic resolution of many protein complexes. These studies have laid a foundation for improving the diagnosis and treatment of patients with ciliopathies, including those with polycystic kidney disease, which currently is treated with dialysis; primary ciliary dyskinesia, which causes chronic lung disease, misplaced organs and infertility; Bardet-Biedl syndrome, which leads to blindness in childhood and diabetes, kidney disease and extreme obesity; and many congenital heart defects, which occur when left-right asymmetry goes awry and require complex surgeries to repair

Key words
centrioles, cilia, signal transduction, cytoskeleton, lung disease