Description:

The Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Genetics presents:

Yin Shen, PhD
Associate Professor
Institute for Human Genetics, Department of Neurology
University of California San Francisco (UCSF) 

Presentation:

"Characterize non-coding DNA variants in the human genome"

Abstract:

Advances in genome sequencing have led to the identification of hundreds of millions of genetic variants in the human population, with a fraction conferring risk for common illnesses such as diabetes, neurological disorders, and cancers. A significant barrier to understanding the genetic underpinnings of these complex diseases is the lack of functional annotation for disease-associated sequence variants, primarily because such variants are predominantly located within non-coding regions. However, research on the role of these candidate cis-regulatory elements and variants in disease pathogenesis has been hindered by a lack of knowledge of their biological function in relevant cell types. I will discuss our approaches to functional characterize candidate cis-regulatory elements and demystify how non-coding variants could contribute to human health and disease.

Host: Dr. Feng Yue, Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics and Pathology