Genomics - Prediction of Autism
The heritability of autism has been estimated to be over 80%. The goal of our genomics project is to identify genes and genetic variants that predict the probability of autism. We will use data from existing large autism genomic data sets to better understand the genetic factors that influence autism.
Project Leads
Wendy Chung, MD, PhD
- Kennedy Professor of Pediatrics (in Medicine)
- PROGRESS PI Admin Core - Lead
- Genomics of Autism - Lead
Wendy Chung, MD, PhD is a clinical and molecular geneticist and the Chief of the Department of Pediatrics at Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School. Dr. Chung directs NIH funded research programs in human genetics of pulmonary hypertension, breast cancer, obesity, diabetes, autism, birth defects including congenital diaphragmatic hernia and congenital heart disease.
Dr. Chung is a national leader in the ethical, legal, and social implications of genomics. She was the recipient of the Rare Impact Award from the National Organization of Rare Disorders, and is a member of the National Academy of Medicine and the American Academy of Physicians. Dr. Chung received her B.A. in biochemistry from Cornell University, her M.D. from Cornell University Medical College, and her Ph.D. from The Rockefeller University in genetics.
Yufeng Shen, PhD
- Associate Professor of Systems Biology and Biomedical Informatics
- Genomics of Autism - Co-Lead
- Statistical and Computational Analysis Core - Co-Lead
After completing his PhD in computational biology in 2007 at the Human Genome Sequencing Center at Baylor College of Medicine, he led the analysis of the first personal genome produced by next-generation sequencing (that of Dr. James D. Watson). In 2008, he joined Columbia University as a postdoctoral fellow, working in computational genomics and genetics of drug adverse reactions, and then joined the faculty in July 2011. Dr. Shen is interested in developing and applying computational methods to study human genetics and diseases.
Faculty
Dennis Vitkup, PhD
- Associate Professor of Systems Biology and Biomedical Informatics
is lab develops and applies state-of-the-art computational, theoretical and experimental tools to address three primary areas of interest: reconstructing biological networks, understanding the evolution of biological networks and developing efficient methods to simulate networks. Using these techniques, Vitkup’s laboratory aims to gain mechanistic insights into fundamental biological phenomena and to understand specific biological mechanisms underlying human diseases such as autism, schizophrenia and cancer, and to understand the contribution of the microbiome to human disease states.
Chaolin Zhang, PhD
- Associate Professor of Systems Biology and Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics
His lab uses a combination of computational and experimental methods to study RNA regulatory networks in the nervous system. In particular, he is interested in characterizing the regulatory networks that contribute to the function during neurodevelopment and in neuronal cell types, and how these networks can be compromised in certain pathologic contexts, such as neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative diseases. His lab also works on targeting RNA regulation to develop precision genetic medicine.