The Program on Genetics and Genomics of the gastrointestinal tract, liver/pancreas, nutrition and obesity supports research directed at identification of genes influencing disease and related anatomical, physiological, and behavioral traits such as body fat composition and distribution, metabolic rate, energy balance, food consumption and preference, and physical activity levels, as well as research on patterns of gene expression associated with these traits, and mechanisms of regulation of these patterns. The Program supports research on humans as well as model organisms, encouraging both genome-wide and candidate-gene-based approaches exploiting naturally occurring genetic variation as well as artificially induced mutations. Typical approaches include genetic linkage, association, and linkage-disequilibrium studies, QTL mapping, phenotype- and gene-driven mutagenesis screens, and macro- and microarray-based surveys of gene expression.
For more information, contact Dr. Robert W. Karp, Director of the Genetics and Genomics Programs.
