Research Topics
CGM faculty represent 33 departments/programs and three schools, and three health-care institutions.
To learn more, select a research topic below and view profiles of associated faculty.
Animal Models of Human Disease- Using genetic approaches with model organisms to investigate cellular and physiological processes can lead to improved approaches for detection, prevention and treatment of human diseases.
Bioinformatics & Statistics- Bioinformatics, a discipline that unites biology, computer science and information technology, helps researchers understand how genes or parts of genes relate to other genes, and how genes interact to form networks. These studies provide insight to normal cellular functions and how these functions are disturbed by disease. Statistics is central to most genetic approaches for investigating human diseases, and is heavily used by labs doing gene mapping, microarrays, epidemiology, population genetics and risk analysis.
Cancer- A unifying feature of cancer is that cancer cells have undergone genetic changes that disrupt normal regulation of cell proliferation and death. To improve strategies for preventing and treating cancer,we work to understand how genetic changes arise and how to block the pathogenic effects of these mutations.
Cardiovascular- Cardiovascular disease is one of the leading causes of death in the US, and the risk of a person suffering from cardiovascular disease is highly dependent on the genes they have inherited. We work to identify and understand the functions of genes that affect the risk of developing cardiovascular disease, as well as to understand the function of genes involved in the normal and pathological development of the heart.
Cell Biology- Molecular knowledge of how cells work is essential for understanding all diseases. We use genetic techniques to elucidate a broad array of cellular processes with the goal of improving detection, prevention and treatment of diseases ranging from cancer to cystic fibrosis.
Chromatin Structure/Gene Expression- Abnormal gene expression underlies many diseases, including cancer and cardiovascular diseases. We investigate how gene expression is regulated by chromatin structure and other regulators to understand abnormal gene expression in disease, and to learn how to manipulate gene expression for therapeutic purposes.
Clinical & Therapeutics -We aim to develop genetically based therapies and diagnostics, and apply genetic technologies to the prevention strategies, evaluation, and treatment of patients at Northwestern Memorial Hospital and the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago.
Development- To understand the cellular processes that allow cells to create organs and whole animals from fertilized eggs, we use genetic approaches to investigate the development of many different organisms. These studies help us understand both normal human development and the changes that occur in diseases, with the goal of improving detection, prevention and treatment of human disease.
Education- We are engaged in both academic and public education by directing degree programs, teaching, mentoring, and supervising students, and leading science outreach initiatives for the community.
Epidemiology/Population Genetics- We use epidemiology and population genetics to investigate the genetic basis of disease, and to assess how genetic diseases affect subgroups within broader populations.
Genetic Counseling- As part of a health-care team, we provide information and guidance to individuals and families at risk for genetic disorders through family history analysis, genetic testing, and the interpretation of results.
Immunology- Many immunological diseases, such as Rheumatoid arthritis, have a genetic basis. We work to understand how genes contribute to immunological diseases, and use genetic approaches to investigate how the immune system functions.
Infectious Disease- The susceptibility and/or pathological consequences of many infectious diseases have a genetic basis. We investigate how human genes interact with infectious diseases, and use genetic approaches to determine the interactions between pathogens and the host.
Neuroscience- We work to understand how genes contribute to neurological diseases, and use genetic approaches to investigate how the nervous system functions.
Reproduction- We study the broad range of biology required to transmit genetic information from one generation to another, and how to facilitate the process of reproduction when difficulties arise.
