David Gorkin

David Gorkin is Assistant Professor in Emory University's Department of Biology, leading the Gorkin Laboratory. His research investigates how epigenetic machinery orchestrates cellular specialization during mammalian development, examining how disruptions contribute to disease. The lab uses epigenomics, genome-editing, and computational approaches in mouse and human models.

Research explores: 1) Regulatory sequences and target genes of epigenetic machinery across cellular contexts 2) Recruitment mechanisms directing epigenetic regulators to genomic locations 3) Molecular consequences of disease-causing mutations in epigenetic regulators. Current projects examine chromatin architecture dynamics, SWI/SNF complex stability, and enhancer functions in development.

Recent publications contribute to large consortia including ENCODE, EN-TEx, and diabetes genetics initiatives, developing resources for annotating regulatory variation and cell-type specific epigenomes. Work appears in Nature, Cell, and specialized genetics journals.