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Dr. Igor Ponomarev is a Professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine. His research program focuses on the intersection of genetics, genomics, and neuroscience, with particular emphasis on Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD). He leads an active research laboratory investigating the molecular mechanisms underlying alcohol-related behaviors and neuroplasticity. Dr. Ponomarev's research interests center on understanding how genetic, epigenetic, and environmental factors interact to control brain gene expression and behavior in AUD. His laboratory employs next-generation sequencing and systems biology approaches to study chromatin (epigenomic) and gene expression (transcriptomic) profiles in brain cells and tissues. A major focus of his work is discovering and prioritizing molecular targets for medication development to prevent and treat AUD and other CNS disorders. His research has pioneered the use of gene co-expression network analysis in the alcohol field and has extended to cell type-specific molecular profiling and neuroimmune mechanisms in alcohol consumption. His research output shows consistent focus on alcohol-related neuroscience, with recent publications (2021-2025) examining sex differences in alcohol response, pain-alcohol interactions, and molecular targets for medication development. These works demonstrate progression from basic molecular mechanisms to translational applications. Dr. Ponomarev currently holds two significant NIH grants: R01AA027096: 'The Neuroimmune model of excessive alcohol consumption: Transition to Alcohol Use Disorder' R03AA028370: 'Effects of chronic alcohol consumption on the synaptic translatome' His funding supports research on how neuroimmune pathways contribute to the transition from social drinking to AUD and molecular changes at synapses following chronic alcohol exposure. His laboratory provides training in advanced genomic technologies, bioinformatics, and systems biology approaches to students and researchers interested in addiction neuroscience.

• Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD)
• Epigenetics
• Neuroscience
• +7 more

James Noonan is the Albert E. Kent Professor of Genetics and Professor of Neuroscience at Yale University School of Medicine, where he also serves as co-Director of Graduate Studies in Genetics. His primary appointment is in the Department of Genetics, with secondary appointments in the Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology and Neuroscience. He maintains extensive affiliations across Yale, including the Yale Cancer Center, Yale Center for Genomic Health, Yale Stem Cell Center, Wu Tsai Institute, and Kavli Institute for Neuroscience. Dr. Noonan's research focuses on understanding human-specific gene regulation and its role in evolution and development. His lab pioneered the discovery that Human Accelerated Regions (HARs) encode transcriptional enhancers with human-specific activity in the developing embryo. The lab has developed innovative approaches including humanized mouse models to study how HARs alter developmental gene expression and drive the evolution of novel phenotypes. They also pioneered massively parallel screening approaches to characterize gene regulatory functions in human brain development and evolution. The lab's recent publications reveal significant insights into how uniquely human sequence changes affect enhancer activity, how HARs contribute to cortical development, and how autism risk genes like CHD8 regulate neurodevelopmental pathways. Their work demonstrates that HARs have clear biological functions in neurodevelopment and has identified specific regulatory innovations contributing to the emergence of the mammalian neocortex. Mallinckrodt Foundation Fellowship (2008) Professor Noonan has mentored at least 11 PhD students to completion, with his most recent student (Atreyo Pal) defending in 2025. His lab maintains multiple active grants from NIH, SFARI, NOMIS Foundation, and other major funding agencies. Students in the lab gain training in cutting-edge genomic techniques including CRISPR genome editing, single-cell genomics, and comparative epigenomics. The lab's interdisciplinary approach provides students with opportunities to work across multiple departments and research centers at Yale, with recent students winning prestigious awards like the Carolyn Slayman Prize in Genetics. The Noonan Lab (noonanlab.org) maintains an active presence in the scientific community, regularly sharing research updates and engaging with broader issues affecting biomedical research. Their work continues to advance our understanding of what makes us uniquely human at the molecular level.

• Embryonic and Fetal Development
• Epigenomics
• Molecular Evolution
• +7 more

Anna-Sophie Fiston-Lavier is a Professor of Bioinformatics at the University of Montpellier's Institute of Evolutionary Sciences (ISEM), affiliated with the Phylogeny and Molecular Evolution team. She holds multiple leadership positions including President of the French Society of Bioinformatics (SFBI), Co-head of the Bioinformatics Learning Lab (BILL), Associate Editor at Bioinformatics Advances, and Junior Member of the Institut Universitaire de France. Education: PhD in Genomics, Pierre and Marie Curie University (Sorbonne University), 2004-2008 Master's degree in Genetics, Pierre and Marie Curie University, 2003-2004 Licence degree in Bioinformatics, Université Denis Diderot/Paris 7, 2002-2003 Her research focuses on transposable elements (TEs) and their impact on genome evolution, combining computational biology with experimental approaches. Key areas include: TE dynamics in insect genomes, development of bioinformatics tools for high-throughput sequencing analysis, and understanding adaptation mechanisms through population genomics. She maintains strong interests in evaluating emerging sequencing technologies and their applications in evolutionary biology. Her publications in journals like Nature Communications, Genome Research, and Bioinformatics demonstrate expertise in genomics, computational biology, and evolutionary theory, with consistent focus on transposable element behavior and genome architecture across diverse organisms. Awards and honors: Junior member, Institut Universitaire de France (2021) Huck Life Science Fellow, Penn State University (2023) Research funding and grants: ANR FunAdapt (2023-2027): Fungal pathogen adaptation (Co-Task Leader) CNRS MITI (2024-2026): Aedes aegypti mosquito evolution (PI) IUF Fellowship (2021-2026) BILL2.0 Educational Project (2025) ANR NeGa (2020-2026): Population size impact on genome architecture Labex CEMEB D-Range Project (2017-2020) She currently advises 2 PhD candidates and 4 master students, and has supervised over 30 trainees including PhDs and post-docs. She actively recruits post-doctoral researchers for her team. She leads research within the Phylogeny and Molecular Evolution team at ISEM, focusing on computational genomics and evolutionary biology. Her laboratory develops innovative bioinformatics approaches to study genome evolution and adaptation processes.

• Bioinformatics
• Evolutionary Genomics
• Transposable Elements
• +6 more

Takaki Maekawa is a Principal Investigator and group leader at the Institute for Plant Sciences, University of Cologne. Previously, he served as a team leader at the Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research in Cologne, where he studied disease resistance mechanisms mediated by plant NLRs using barley and Arabidopsis thaliana as experimental models. His research focuses on understanding the mechanistic parallels between plant and animal immune systems, with particular emphasis on immunity and cell death pathways. Dr. Maekawa's primary research interest centers on the spatiotemporal coordination of host responses to pathogen attack. His group aims to unravel conserved immune mechanisms by studying structural and functional parallels between plant and animal systems, particularly focusing on NLR receptors and MLKL proteins. The research program employs diverse experimental approaches including genetics, genomics, cellular biology, and structural biology. A key discovery from his lab was identifying plant MLKL proteins that structurally and functionally resemble animal MLKLs, which mediate necroptosis. His current work investigates how these proteins regulate calcium signaling during immune responses and how they execute cell death in plants. Analysis of Dr. Maekawa's publication record reveals a consistent trajectory of research bridging plant and animal immunology, with increasing focus on calcium signaling mechanisms in recent years. His work demonstrates how plants utilize conserved cell death execution mechanisms similar to animals, despite evolutionary divergence. The research employs advanced techniques including super-resolution imaging, structural biology, and spatially resolved omics to visualize and characterize immune responses at cellular and molecular levels. Dr. Maekawa actively mentors several researchers including PhD students Keiichi Hasegawa and Qiaochu Shen, who are studying MLKL mechanisms using biochemical, structural, and imaging approaches. His lab includes research associates investigating calcium signaling patterns during cell death (Frowin Reichhardt) and systemic immunity involving neighboring cells (Anna Prakken). The lab also hosts visiting researchers like Farnaz Faezi from Shiraz University, who studies disease resistance in wild barley. The Maekawa lab is a member of CEPLAS (Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences), which provides access to specialized resources including the Plant Metabolism and Metabolomics Facility and Imaging Platform. These resources support the lab's research on spatiotemporal patterns of plant-microbe interactions, particularly focusing on how cell-cell communication shapes host responses to pathogens. Current projects investigate how MLKL proteins regulate immunity both spatially and temporally to provide effective plant protection against diverse pathogens.

• Plant-Microbe Interactions
• Innate Immunity
• Cell Death Mechanisms
• +4 more

Bart Thomma is a Research Professor at the Institute for Plant Sciences, University of Cologne, where he leads investigations into plant-fungal pathogen interactions. He currently serves as deputy speaker of CEPLAS (Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences), helping shape future research directions in European plant science. His work integrates molecular biology, genomics, and microbiome studies to understand how pathogens manipulate host plants. Thomma's research focuses on: Molecular mechanisms of fungal pathogenicity in plants Effector protein evolution and host colonization strategies Microbiome manipulation by pathogens to suppress competitors Chromatin organization in fungal genome evolution Plant immune receptor recognition systems His laboratory employs cutting-edge approaches in genomics, molecular genetics, and bioinformatics to study soil-borne pathogens like Verticillium dahliae . Analysis of Thomma's recent publications reveals consistent focus on fungal effector proteins and their roles in suppressing plant immunity and manipulating microbiomes. His 2020-2024 work demonstrates increasing emphasis on 3D genome organization and broad-spectrum antimicrobial activities in pathogens. The research bridges fundamental fungal biology with applied plant protection strategies. Thomma leads a research group within CEPLAS that collaborates with European plant science institutes. His future goals include developing integrated approaches to optimize plant performance under environmental stress and expanding CEPLAS's research network through strategic alliances with institutions like Wageningen University and John Innes Centre.

• Plant Pathology
• Fungal Genomics
• Host-Microbe Interactions
• +3 more

Dr. Lars Hering is a Postdoctoral Researcher in the Department of Zoology at the University of Kassel, Germany. His research focuses on the evolutionary biology of Panarthropoda, with particular expertise in Onychophora (velvet worms) and Tardigrada (water bears). He collaborates with the Lund Vision Group at Lund University, Sweden, to investigate visual system evolution across these phyla. His primary research interests include evolutionary biology, comparative genomics, visual system evolution, molecular evolution, and arthropod evolution. Dr. Hering employs molecular, anatomical, and electrophysiological methods to study opsin genes, neuropeptides, and other proteins that reveal evolutionary relationships between velvet worms, tardigrades, and arthropods. His work bridges molecular biology with comparative anatomy to understand the evolutionary origins of complex traits. Analysis of Dr. Hering's publication record from 2012-2025 reveals a consistent focus on evolutionary developmental biology, particularly examining how visual and nervous systems evolved in Panarthropoda. His research combines molecular techniques with comparative approaches across multiple phyla, demonstrating interdisciplinary expertise spanning genomics, neurobiology, and evolutionary theory. Key themes include the evolution of opsins for vision, neuropeptide signaling systems, and structural proteins across evolutionary time. Preis für das beste Poster der Fachgruppe 'Zoologische Systematik' Dr. Hering has presented his research at numerous national and international conferences including the Deutsche Zoologische Gesellschaft meetings and BioSyst.EU conferences. His work receives financial support through various research grants that enable his comparative studies of Panarthropod evolution. He is actively involved in collaborative research projects examining the molecular basis of evolutionary innovations.

• Evolutionary Biology
• Comparative Genomics
• Visual System Evolution
• +6 more

Andrew M. Shedlock is an Associate Professor at the College of Charleston with dual affiliations in the Graduate Program in Marine Biology and Graduate Program in Environmental Studies, plus cross-appointment to the MUSC College of Graduate Studies. Based at the Hollings Marine Laboratory in James Island, South Carolina, he leads a research program focused on evolutionary genomics of marine vertebrates through the Shedlock Lab. His educational background includes: Ph.D. from the University of Washington M.S. from the University of Washington B.S. from Cornell University Dr. Shedlock's research integrates genome annotation, transcriptomics, and population-scale genomic variation to investigate evolutionary mechanisms driving biological complexity and diversity, with special emphasis on marine vertebrates. His lab develops predictive frameworks for environmental science and public policy through comparative genomic approaches, spanning conservation genetics, biodiversity management, and adaptive evolution in challenging ecosystems. His publication record reveals consistent focus on comparative genomics across 20 years, with signature contributions in reptile, turtle, and marine mammal genomics. The work demonstrates expertise in phylogenomics, adaptive potential assessment, and forensic applications of genomics, frequently appearing in high-impact journals with multiple cover articles highlighting methodological innovations. Dr. Shedlock teaches foundational and advanced courses including Concepts and Applications in Biology, Molecular Biology, Marine Tetrapod Biology, Comparative Genomics, and Conservation Genetics and Genomics. He actively mentors students through Freshman Research Rotations and Capstone projects, integrating data science with biological inquiry. The Shedlock Lab operates from specialized facilities at the Hollings Marine Laboratory, leveraging collaborative infrastructure with NOAA and South Carolina DNR to conduct field and computational genomics research. The lab maintains strong interdisciplinary connections across marine science, environmental policy, and computational biology domains.

• Evolutionary Biology
• Genomics
• Marine Biology
• +3 more

Professor Tomohisa Toda leads a research group at the Max Planck Center for Physics and Medicine in Erlangen, Germany, where he investigates the mechanisms that allow the brain to maintain neuronal function throughout life. His work focuses on understanding how neurons preserve their cellular identity and functionality over decades without significant cell renewal, with particular emphasis on epigenetic regulation and nuclear architecture. Dr. Toda's research program examines how epigenetic mechanisms regulate gene activity in neurons without altering DNA sequences, investigating these processes at multiple scales - from DNA modifications to nuclear stiffness and geometry. His team has made significant discoveries including the identification of long-lived RNAs (LL-RNAs) in the brain that challenge traditional views of RNA stability, and the role of nuclear structural proteins like Lamin B1 and nuclear pore proteins in adult hippocampal neurogenesis. The research trends across his publications reveal a consistent focus on the intersection of nuclear architecture, epigenetic regulation, and brain aging. His work spans molecular neuroscience, cell biology, and aging research, with particular emphasis on how physical properties of the cell nucleus serve as epigenetic information. Recent publications increasingly connect these fundamental mechanisms to age-related neurological disorders, particularly Alzheimer's disease. Dr. Toda actively engages with students and visitors at his institution, as evidenced by his recent hosting of students from Nuremberg for insights into research at the physics-medicine interface. His laboratory continues to advance understanding of neuronal longevity mechanisms that could inform future treatments for neurodegenerative conditions.

• Neuroscience
• Epigenetics
• Aging Research
• +7 more

Peng Jiang is an Assistant Professor at Cleveland State University, affiliated with the Center for Gene Regulation in Health and Disease (GRHD). His research focuses on developing statistical methods and data-driven approaches to analyze genomic and transcriptomic data, with applications in understanding gene regulation, cellular heterogeneity, and human diseases. Dr. Jiang's research interests span statistical bioinformatics, machine learning applications in genomics, network modeling, and single-cell RNA sequencing analysis. His work integrates computational approaches to leverage large-scale omics datasets, aiming to maximize knowledge extraction from complex biological data. He has made significant contributions to the development of methods for quality control of single-cell RNA-seq data, temporal gene expression analysis, and understanding transcriptome dynamics in various biological contexts including embryonic development, neural progenitor cells, and disease models. His publication record reveals a strong focus on methodological development in bioinformatics, particularly for single-cell RNA sequencing analysis. His work has addressed challenges in quality control, temporal analysis, and spatial patterning of gene expression. He has also applied these methods to study various biological systems including stem cell differentiation, neural development, and disease mechanisms across multiple species from axolotl to human models. Dr. Jiang currently leads a research group that includes postdoctoral researchers, PhD students, and undergraduate honors students. His lab, the Jiang Lab, seeks "inspired, highly motivated, and curious graduate students" to join their research efforts in computational genomics and bioinformatics.

• Bioinformatics
• Genomic Data Analysis
• Transcriptomic Data Analysis
• +6 more

Jackson Taylor is an Assistant Professor at Cleveland State University's Center for Gene Regulation in Health and Disease (GRHD), leading research on epigenetic mechanisms of aging using Drosophila melanogaster models. His work focuses on how epigenetic modifications drive age-related dysfunction and disease, with emphasis on lifespan extension strategies. Education: Ph.D. in Neuroscience, Wake Forest University School of Medicine (2013) Postdoctoral Training, Wake Forest Health Sciences (2013-2016) Postdoctoral Training, Brown University (2016-2022) Dr. Taylor's research program investigates epigenome dynamics during aging, particularly how experimental manipulation of epigenetic regulators like Sirt6 extends lifespan and preserves physical function. His lab employs next-generation sequencing, bioinformatics, genetic engineering, and longevity assays to study Alzheimer's disease models and identify novel epigenetic modifiers. Key findings demonstrate that Sirt6 overexpression represses Myc target genes through H3K9ac deacetylation, reducing protein synthesis and extending lifespan in fruit flies. Analysis of his publication record reveals consistent focus on epigenetic aging mechanisms across model systems, with significant contributions to understanding transposable element regulation, DNA methylation patterns in immune aging, and calcium channel dynamics in sarcopenia. His work bridges basic epigenetic discovery with translational applications for age-related diseases. Dr. Taylor advises graduate students in the Taylor Lab (established Fall 2022), mentoring Samira Xhaferi, Roja Sharma, and Prema Singaravel. His research is supported through GRHD center resources and collaborations with the Cleveland Clinic Joint Ph.D. Programs. The Taylor Lab operates within CSU's Science and Research Building (Room 259), utilizing advanced genomic and bioinformatic infrastructure through the GRHD center's facilities. Current projects target tissue-specific Sirt6 mechanisms in Alzheimer's disease models and high-throughput screening of epigenetic longevity modifiers.

• Epigenetics
• Aging Research
• Longevity Mechanisms
• +3 more

Gabrielle Stryker is a Professor at Central Washington University specializing in parasitic diseases caused by Kinetoplastid organisms. She teaches General Biology, Microbiology, Immunology, and Parasitology while leading research on molecular mechanisms of pathogens including Trypanosoma cruzi (Chagas disease), Trypanosoma brucei (sleeping sickness), and Leishmania species. Education Ph.D. in Immunology/Molecular Microbiology, Johns Hopkins University (1995) Research Focus Her laboratory investigates the paraflagellar rod (PFR) – a critical motility structure in Kinetoplastid flagella – using molecular biology and cellular immunology techniques. Current work examines PFR protein immunogenicity for vaccine development and mathematical modeling of disease transmission dynamics. The research has demonstrated that recombinant PFR proteins protect mice from lethal T. cruzi challenge, highlighting their therapeutic potential. Publication Analysis Her 11 most recent publications (1997-2023) reveal three interconnected research strands: (1) Mathematical modeling of Chagas disease transmission and control strategies, (2) Experimental studies on Leishmania cross-species immunity and infection progression, and (3) Molecular characterization of PFR proteins and their role in parasite biology. This interdisciplinary approach bridges computational epidemiology, immunology, and molecular parasitology to address tropical disease challenges. Research Infrastructure Professor Stryker maintains an active laboratory in Science Building 236C, employing techniques ranging from molecular cloning to in vivo infection models. Her work on piezoimmunosensors and implantable filtration devices demonstrates translational applications of basic research findings for diagnostic and therapeutic development.

• Immunology
• Molecular Microbiology
• Parasitology
• +2 more