Laura Carrel

Laura Carrel is a Professor at the Department of Molecular and Precision Medicine, Penn State University College of Medicine, and a member of the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences. Her research focuses on X-chromosome inactivation, autoimmune diseases, and the role of genetic/epigenetic mechanisms in health disparities.

• Key Affiliations: Penn State College of Medicine, Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences

Research Interests

Dr. Carrel's work explores:

• X-chromosome inactivation and escape gene regulation
• Sex-biased genetic variants in autoimmune diseases like systemic lupus erythematosus
• Integrative approaches combining genomics, epigenetics, and electronic health records
• Mechanisms of X-linked inheritance in the genome era

Scientific Awards

• 2020 - Career Citation Milestone Award (M (1000) Club)
• 2021 - Dean's Award for Excellence in Teaching (co-recipient)

Grants & Collaborations

She leads projects funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIAID, NICHD) on:

• Trans-ancestry genetic studies of lupus etiology
• Functional analysis of inactive X chromosome expression
• Autoimmune disease mechanisms in multi-omics datasets

Labs & Teams

Her lab is part of the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences and collaborates on large-scale genomic initiatives, including reference genome sequencing and autoimmune disease consortia.