Genetics & Bioinformatics

The graduate program in Genetics & Bioinformatics is composed of 11 faculty members that share a fundamental interest in genetics & bioinformatics processes. The Genetics faculty have a diverse range of research interests. The Genetics & Bioinformatics GREG is particularly strong in evolutionary genetics and bioinformatics.

Most programs are influenced by evolutionary concerns and use tools from bioinformatics to address fundamental questions in genetics. These questions range from gene structure and function to the evolution of plant-insect interactions. Several faculty members use Drosophila and other insects as their research organism. Other faculty members use the model plants maize and Arabidopsis.

Our goal is to develop broadly trained biologists that have both the conceptual tools and expertise in research design necessary to address fundamental biological questions. To meet this goal, our graduate curriculum includes advanced courses covering molecular genetics, developmental genetics, and genomics.

Core Faculty

Faculty Member	Research Interests
Alexandra Basolo	Genetics and evolution of color patterns, of life history traits, and of sexually selected traits
Alan Christensen	Plant mitochondrial genetics
Larry Harshman	Genetics, evolution and DNA diagnostics
Etsuko Moriyama	Bioinformatics, molecular evolution, and molecular population genetics
Guillermo Ortí	Molecular systematics
John Osterman	Gene structure and function in maize and Arabidopsis
Diana Pilson	Ecological genetics of plant-insect interactions
Jay Storz	Molecular evolutionary genetics, evolutionary genomics
Anthony Zera	Evolutionary genetics of wing polymorphism

Associated Faculty

Faculty Member	Research Interests
Steve Ladunga	Bioinformatics
Jean-Jack Riethoven	Bioinformatics, gene splicing
Blair Siegfried	Biochemical and genetic mechanisms of insecticide resistance in insect pest species