Terrence Furey

Dr. Terrence (Terry) Furey is a Professor in the Department of Genetics and Biology at the UNC School of Medicine. His research focuses on gene regulatory processes, particularly epigenetically controlled mechanisms, and their role in complex diseases like inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). The Furey Lab specializes in computational analysis of genome-wide open chromatin, histone modifications, miRNA, and gene transcription data from high-throughput sequencing experiments.

• Key research areas: Epigenetics, Chromatin Biology, IBD Pathogenesis, Computational Genomics, Microbiome Interactions
• Specialized methodologies: Development of statistical and computational tools for genomic data analysis

Research highlights include investigating genetic and epigenetic contributors to IBD through collaborations with Dr. Shehzad Sheikh, particularly analyzing chromatin reprogramming, miRNA expression, and microbial composition in both IL-10 knockout models and human intestinal tissues. The lab has identified distinct molecular signatures of Crohn's disease associated with clinical phenotypes.

Article trends demonstrate expertise spanning

• Chromatin accessibility analysis in disease states
• MicroRNA biomarker discovery in IBD
• Computational tool development (ROCCO, DeFCoM, GSAASeqSP)
• Multi-omics integration in complex phenotypes
• Environmental-genetic interaction studies
• Translational IBD research

Dr. Furey actively collaborates with researchers across the Center for Gastrointestinal Biology and Disease (CGIBD), including Drs. Sartor, Sheikh, and Rusyn. His work bridges clinical/translational research with microbiome studies, focusing on how epigenetic landscape alterations contribute to disease progression.