Gisela Orozco

Gisela Orozco is a Professor of Functional Genomics at the University of Manchester, working within the Division of Musculoskeletal & Dermatological Sciences. She is affiliated with the Center for Genetics and Genomics Versus Arthritis and the Lydia Becker Institute. She is currently accepting PhD students and leads a research group focused on functional genomics approaches to understanding autoimmune diseases.

Dr. Orozco completed her BSc in Biochemistry at the University of Granada in Spain in 2002, followed by a PhD which she received in 2007 with the highest honors (summa cum laude). Her doctoral work focused on genetic susceptibility to rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune diseases under Professor Javier Martin's supervision at the López Neyra Parasitology and Biomedicine Institute.

Her primary research interests lie in functional genomics, particularly in identifying causal variants and genes within regions associated with complex traits. She uses a combination of genetic analysis, bioinformatic tools, and functional experiments to investigate how genetic variants affect gene expression and function, ultimately relating to disease pathways. Her work primarily focuses on autoimmune conditions including rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, psoriasis, and other inflammatory conditions.

Dr. Orozco's recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on applying functional genomics approaches to understand the genetic basis of autoimmune diseases. Her work integrates large-scale genetic association studies with functional validation to move from genetic associations to biological mechanisms. She has been particularly active in studying rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, and other inflammatory conditions using cutting-edge techniques like CRISPR-Cas9 and multi-omics approaches.

Among her notable professional recognitions are:

• Marie Curie Intra-European Fellowship
• Wellcome Trust Research Career Development Fellowship
• Associate Editor for BMC Medical Genetics
• Member of the American Society of Human Genetics
• Inclusion in AcademiaNet, the portal to excellent women academics

Dr. Orozco actively mentors students and researchers, currently supervising a PhD student and working with postdoctoral researchers. Her research has been supported by prestigious fellowships and grants, enabling her to build a strong research program at the University of Manchester. She is also involved in the wider scientific community through invited talks and hosting academic visitors.

Her laboratory work focuses on bridging the gap between genetic associations and biological function, particularly in autoimmune diseases. She collaborates extensively with other researchers in the field and has established herself as a leader in applying functional genomics approaches to understand the molecular mechanisms of complex diseases.