The Gospocic group studies how epigenetic pathways and gene expression regulate brain plasticity in the context of social behavior and aging by working with a unique ant species Harpegnathos saltator. We take a multidisciplinary approach and combine functional genomics, biochemistry, and behavioral assays in H. saltator, as well as the conventional Drosophila and mouse models to expedite genetic screening and provide evolutionary context to identified epigenetic pathways.

Specialty Areas: epigenetics, chromatin biology, gene regulation, social behavior, aging, neurodegeneration

The Tu Lab is investigating how a variety of cellular processes and decisions are coordinated with metabolic state, and how the dysregulation of these mechanisms might be linked to disease and aging.

The major interest of my lab is to understand the transcriptional regulatory mechanisms involved in human diseases with a focus on cardiovascular diseases and cancer. 

The Luo lab studies hypoxia stress in human cancers with a focus on epigenetic and metabolic alterations. 

D'Orso Lab studies gene regulatory networks in normal and disease states as well as in the context of host-pathogen interactions.