Rachel Lynch

Rachel Lynch, PhD, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Genetics at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine and Director of the Systems Genetics Core Facility. Her research focuses on leveraging genetic diversity in mice to study disease mechanisms, environmental exposures, and host-pathogen interactions. She directs a core facility supporting systems genetics approaches, emphasizing rigorous and reproducible mouse research.

Key research areas include: 1) Genetic determinants of disease heterogeneity in conditions like traumatic brain injury, epilepsy, and infectious diseases such as salmonellosis and sarbecovirus infections. 2) Systems-level analyses of environmental toxin effects, including lead exposure and chemical compound interactions. 3) Development of genomic tools like the MiniMUGA and updated mouse genotyping arrays to enhance genetic quality control in laboratory research. Her work combines mouse model systems with advanced bioinformatics to uncover genetic influences on complex traits and pathogenic processes.

Publications span over 15 years, demonstrating sustained contributions to understanding genetic contributions to disease, environmental toxicology, and translational mouse model development. Current projects likely prioritize leveraging genetic diversity to identify novel therapeutic targets and biomarkers for personalized medicine approaches.