Jesse Dixon

Jesse Dixon, MD, PhD, is an Associate Professor in the Gene Expression Laboratory at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies. He holds the Helen McLoraine Developmental Chair and leads the Dixon Lab, focusing on understanding 3D genome organization and its role in gene regulation and disease. His research combines molecular and computational biology to study chromatin architecture, cancer genetics, and epigenetics.

Education:

• AB in Molecular Biology, Princeton University
• PhD in Biomedical Sciences, University of California San Diego
• MD, University of California San Diego

Research Interests:

Dr. Dixon’s work centers on how the 3D organization of the genome influences gene expression and disease. His lab develops novel tools like Hi-C and snm3C-seq to profile chromatin structure and DNA methylation in single cells. Key areas include structural variants in cancer, TADs (topologically associating domains), and the role of chromosomal rearrangements in oncogenesis.

Grants & Awards:

• Rita Allen Foundation Award Scholar (2023)
• NIH Early Independence Award (2016–2021)
• Multiple dissertation and fellowship awards from UCSD and CIRM

Lab & Collaborations:

The Dixon Lab collaborates on projects like the Human Body Single-Cell Atlas and employs advanced genomic technologies. Current initiatives include studying 3D genome dynamics in the brain and developing methods to link neuropsychiatric disorder risk variants to target genes.