Scientific Questions

What makes us human?

What are the genetic changes that have made us uniquely human? These mutations underlie our amazing abilities as well as our predisposition to certain diseases. We have a particular interest in the uniqueness of the human brain. We are interested in understanding the mutations that gave us our amazing cognitive abilities, which separate us from the other great apes. We are also working to understand the particular cells and gene regulatory networks that are disrupted in human-specific neurodegenerative disorders, such as spinocerebellar ataxias.

photo credit:
Wellcome Collection; CC-BY-4.0; cropped

How do species adapt to new environments?

What are the genetic changes that underlie how humans and other vertebrates adapt to the environment? Why are some species seemingly able to easily adapt while others are restricted to their current environment?

art credit:
Alexander Francis Lydon; public domain