The Alt laboratory studies mechanisms that maintain genomic stability in mammalian cells. The programmed recombination and hypermutation events in lymphocytes and the general DNA repair mechanisms involved in these processes are a focus. The laboratory also studies mechanisms that promote and prevent oncogenic translocations.  Approaches range from molecular genetics and biochemistry to animal models.

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HMS BBS Faculty Page
Recent Publications

The Altshuler lab studies human genetic variation and develops laboratory and analytical methods for associating genotype and phenotype. Our main focus is type 2 diabetes, with projects in prostate cancer, lupus, and other diseases. Long-term, we hope to apply genetic information to improve diagnostics and therapeutics in the clinic.

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The Altshuler Lab Page
Recent Publications

The Ausubel laboratory uses genetic, genomic, and chemical genetic approaches to: (1) elucidate the molecular basis of microbial pathogenesis in the bacterial pathogens Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Pseudomonas syringae and (2) identify the components of the signaling pathways involved in the host innate immune response in the plant Arabidopsis thaliana and the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans.

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The Ausubel Lab Page
CCIB Web Page
Recent Publications

The Blower Lab is interested in understanding both how and why RNA is targeted to microtubules during mitosis. We primarily use cell free extracts from the African clawed frog Xenopus laevis to study how RNA influences the assembly of microtubules into a dynamic bipolar spindle.

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The Blower Lab Page
Recent Publications

Constance Cepko and her colleagues study the development of the central nervous system of vertebrates, with an emphasis on the development of the retina. They are also studying the mechanisms of photoreceptor degeneration, particularly as it can occur as a failure of development.

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HMS BBS Faculty Page
The Cepko Lab Page
Recent Publications

We use quantitative whole genome and proteome measures to guide computational modeling of regulatory and enzymatic networks in microbial and mammalian cells. We develop technologies based on bioinformatics, microarrays, mass-spectrometry, automation, multiplexing, microfluidics, and homologous-recombination genome engineering. We have recently used these to discover new regulatory motifs involved in cell-cycle control, stress response, and many other network components.

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The Church Lab Page
Recent Publications

We are interested in understanding the mechanisms underlying faithful chromosome inheritance during meiosis. Our focus is on investigating the roles and the macromolecular assembly of the synaptonemal complex, a structure at center stage during meiosis. We are doing this in the nematode C. elegans that allows us to couple the application of abundant genetic, biochemical and molecular biology tools to powerful cytological approaches.

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The Colaiacovo Lab Page
Recent Publications

The step by step differentiation of embryonic cells into different types of neurons lays the foundation for our sensory responses, motor commands, and cognitive behaviors. Our research explores this exquisite differentiation program in mammals using a combination of genetic and molecular biological methods.

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The Dymecki Lab Page
Recent Publications

We study the cellular response to genotoxic stress. We have uncovered a signal transduction protein kinase cascade that phosphorylates over 700 proteins in response to DNA damage and controls genomic stability. We also develop genetic technologies such as genome-wide viral libraries of shRNAs for genetic screening in mammals to identify genes important in human health.

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HMS BBS Faculty Page
The Elledge Lab Page
Recent Publications

Jim Gusella and his colleagues use genetic strategies to investigate the pathogenesis of disorders of human nervous system, including both identification of causative genes and modifiers of pathogenesis and characterization of their mechanism of action. Current efforts involve Huntington’s disease, Parkinson disease, neurofibromatosis, autism, meningioma and a variety of chromosome translocation-associated developmental disorders.

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The Gusella Lab Page
Recent Publications

We aim to understand the genetic basis of traits related to body size (obesity, height and pubertal timing), and certain common diseases (diabetic nephropathy and asthma).  We use association studies, informed by population genetics, statistical considerations and gene expression data, to identify genes that influence these polygenic traits in humans.

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Recent Publications

Work in my lab is focused on understanding how signals in the brain lead to particular patterns of behavior. We utilize a combination of behavioral, genetic, biochemical, imaging, and electrophysiological techniques to study signaling in the brain of the worm C. elegans.

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The Kaplan Lab Page
Recent Publications

The broad interest of our lab is to characterize the biology of stem cells in normal lung and lung cancer. We use a combination of mouse genetics, cell biology and genomics approaches in our studies. We hypothesize that lung stem cell biology will contribute to understanding the cellular and molecular basis of lung diseases.

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The Kim Lab Page
Recent Publications

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The Kingston Lab Page
Recent Publications

The Kucherlapati laboratory is involved in cloning and characterization of human disease genes with a focus on human syndromes with a significant cardiovascular involvement, use of genetic/genomic approaches to understand the biology of cancer and the generation and characterization of genetically modified mouse models for cancer and other human disorders.

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The Kucherlapati Lab Page
Recent Publications

The Kunkel laboratory works on understanding the pathogenesis and genetics underlying the muscular dystrophies. They are attempting therapy of the muscular dystrophies in mice through the use of adult stem cells from
muscle. Recently, they have developed zebrafish models of the human
dystrophies in an attempt to screen for suppressor mutations. They have
also expanded their genetic research into looking at complex disease
traits such as Autism and Interstitial Cystitis.

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HMS BBS Faculty Page
Recent Publications

We study chromatin organization and epigenetic regulation, using X chromosome dosage compensation in Drosophila as a model system. Studies of dosage compensation in mammals and fruitflies suggest that RNAs can play a key role in chromosomal targeting of chromatin modifying complexes. The mechanistic roles of the RNAs within such complexes remain to be understood.

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Recent Publications

Philip Leder is interested in understanding the genetic interactions that give rise to cancer.

Recent Publications

Our lab studies how male (XY) and female (XX) cells use a mechanism called X-chromosome inactivation to achieve equality of sex chromosome gene expression. Our studies are focused on three noncoding RNA loci whose actions coordinate the many steps of X-chromosome inactivation. We are also interested in the mechanistic and evolutionary relationship between X inactivation and imprinting. Recent work by the Lee Lab suggests that imprinted X-chromosome inactivation is directly connected to meiotic sex chromosome inactivation in the male germline.

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HMS BBS Faculty Page
The Lee Lab Page
Recent Publications

My laboratory works on the elucidation of pathways that are controlled by a growing family of breast and ovarian cancer suppressor genes. This family, which includes BRCA1 and 2,  encode proteins that, at a minimum, contribute to the normal cellular responses to DNA damage and to genome integrity control, in general. In particular, we have emphasized an effort to understand how the functions of these gene products contribute to breast and ovarian cancer suppression, in particular.

HMS BBS Faculty Page
Recent Publications

Work in our lab is focused on determining genetic signals that control heart morphogenesis and physiology.  I employ the zebrafish as a model organism and am characterizing a series of mutants with developmental defects affecting the cardiovascular system.  New screens are currently being designed to identify genes and molecules that can regenerate cardiac tissue.

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MGH Faculty Page
Recent Publications

HMS BBS Faculty Page
Recent Publications

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The Oettinger Lab Page
Recent Publications

The general interest of our laboratory is to understand the mechanisms by which cells talk to each other to coordinate the formation of specific structures during development. Most of the work that we have conducted in the past has focused on the identification of molecules that relay signals from the membrane to the nucleus.

Our goal is to develop theoretical methods and apply them to data on genetic variation that we collect in experiments. A current focus is finding genes for multiple sclerosis and prostate cancer in African Americans.

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The Reich Lab Page
Recent Publications

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The Ruvkun Lab Page
CCIB Web Page
Recent Publications

Our lab is using new technologies to couple rapid identification of interesting genes with methods for studying the consequences of their expression in an organismic context. We have developed an efficient type of expression cloning of signal transduction intermediates that allows us to rapidly identify cDNAs encoding genes that engage a number of known transduction pathways. In addition, we continue to work on methods for creating mutant cell lines that have lesions in signal transduction pathways, and on appropriate ways to uncover the genetic basis of those lesions. We are also developing systems for rapid generation of mice bearing targeted disruptions of specific candidate genes. Many of the latter projects are directed at large-scale changes in the mouse genome, which will help us create better mouse models of human disease. In conjunction with the CCIB chemistry and therapeutics group we have been working on new strategies to treat disease using novel biologicals and pharmaceuticals.

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CCIB Web Page
Recent Publications

Christine Seidman is interested in dominant-acting mutations in sarcomere protein genes that cause hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in humans. The Seidman lab has made a murine model of this disease and demonstrated that these mutations lead to altered Ca2+ concentrations in myocytes. Ca2+ channel blockers reduce the hypertrophic response to sarcomere protein gene mutations in mice.

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HMS BBS Faculty Page
The Seidman Lab Page
Recent Publications

Jonathan Seidman is interested in dominant-acting mutations in sarcomere protein genes that cause hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in humans. The Seidman lab has made a murine model of this disease and demonstrated that these mutations lead to altered Ca2+ concentrations in myocytes. Ca2+ channel blockers reduce the hypertrophic response to sarcomere protein gene mutations in mice.

Our laboratory is interested in the molecular mechanisms underlying plant responses to growth and stress hormones, nutrients, environmental stresses, and pathogens. We use a combination of genetic, genomic, biochemical and cellular approaches to discover key regulatory genes, and elucidate their functions and actions in the control of these central signal transduction pathways from receptors/sensors to transcription factors and target genes in plants.

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The Sheen Lab Page
Recent Publications

My laboratory research is focused on the origin, early evolution and laboratory synthesis of life, and the in vitro directed evolution of functional biopolymers.

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HMS BBS Faculty Page
The Szostak Lab Page
CCIB Web Page
Recent Publications

The laboratory studies the genetic basis by which form and structure are regulated during vertebrate development. We combine classical methods of experimental embryology with modern molecular and genetic techniques for regulating gene expression during embryogenesis.

Our goals are to understand how protein interaction, or “interactome”, networks are organized at the scale of the whole cell, how such global organization contributes to biological processes, how the interactome varies in time and space, and how perturbations in interactome networks contribute to human disease.

HMS BBS Faculty Page
The Vidal Lab Page
Recent Publications

Members of the Warman laboratory are committed to identifying genetic causes of skeletal disease, to understanding how the responsible genes participate in the biologic processes of skeletal growth and homeostasis, and to using this knowledge to improve human health. Patients affected by genetic disorders of the skeleton are the impetus for scientific inquiry in the
Warman lab, but in addition to the human genetic approach, the lab also
relies on model organism approaches, and cellular, biochemical, and
biophysical approaches.

HHMI Investigator Page
The Warman Lab Page
Recent Publications

Research in our laboratory focuses on understanding eukaryotic gene expression and chromatin structure, using the yeasts Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Schizosaccharomyces pombe.

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The Winston Lab Page
Recent Publications

We study the mechanisms by which homologous chromosomal regions/genes/sequences influence each other at the level of chromosome behavior, genome integrity, gene expression, and chromatin structure. To this end, we conduct genetic, molecular, and bioinformatic analyses, focusing on homologue pairing, transvection (such as enhancer action in trans), mitotic recombination, ultraconserved elements, dosage, and chromatin structure in Drosophila and humans.