Postdoctoral Fellow

Comparative genomic studies of the sequences responsible for the regulation of gene expression

PI(s): Joshua Granek
Start Date: 1-Aug-2005
End Date: 31-Jul-2007
Keywords: comparative methods, genomics, natural selection

hI am undertaking comparative genomic studies of the DNA sequences responsible for regulating gene expression. These regulatory sequences are important sites of evolutionary change, and I am therefore investigating changes in regulatory sequences that have played a significant role in the evolution of new species. I am also working to understand the manner and mechanisms, by which regulatory sequences evolve. The selective pressure on these sequences is to maintain specific levels of expression under certain conditions. Due to this selection, and the mechanism of regulation, these sequences experience a great degree of evolutionary freedom, which presents unique challenges to their study.