Perry Ridge

Perry Ridge serves as Associate Professor in the Department of Biology at Brigham Young University's College of Life Sciences, where he leads computational genomics research focused on Alzheimer's disease mechanisms and algorithm development. His laboratory, located in room 4102 LSB, actively contributes to neuroscience initiatives including the undergraduate Chiasm journal and departmental outreach programs.

Dr. Ridge's research integrates bioinformatics, mitochondrial genomics, and population genetics to investigate Alzheimer's disease pathogenesis. Key projects include analyzing synonymous mutations in disease genes, developing haplotype-based association algorithms, and studying mitochondrial genome contributions to neurodegeneration. His lab also pioneers ramp sequence analysis tools (e.g., ExtRamp, Ramp Atlas) to interpret translational regulation in genomic data, with recent applications extending to SARS-CoV-2 research.

Analysis of his publications reveals dual trajectories: advancing Alzheimer's genetics through population-specific studies (notably with Native communities via the Natives Engaged in Alzheimer’s Research grant) and marine genomics (fish genome assembly for conservation). His work on synonymous variants and ramp sequences demonstrates how codon usage patterns influence disease mechanisms, while Pacific ancestry pangenome development addresses health disparities in underrepresented populations.

Scientific Awards: None documented in provided materials.

As co-director of the biorepository for the Natives Engaged in Alzheimer’s Research grant—a multi-institution NIH-funded initiative—Dr. Ridge oversees specimen collection for American Indian, Alaskan Native, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander cohorts. His laboratory leads genetic analyses of this cohort to identify population-specific risk factors. While student advisees aren't listed, his teaching of bioinformatics and genomics courses suggests active mentorship of undergraduate researchers.

The Perry Ridge Lab operates as a computational hub within BYU's Life Sciences complex, specializing in genomic data mining and algorithm development. Collaborations span neurodegenerative disease consortia and marine genomics projects, with recent work on bonefish and trevally genomes supporting conservation efforts. Current initiatives focus on expanding the Pacific ancestry pangenome reference and refining machine learning approaches for variant interpretation.