The symposium will be held at UC Santa Cruz on May 2nd at 11:45am – 1:15pm in E2 180.
A taco-truck reception will follow at 1:30pm.
The UC Santa Cruz Genomics Institute in the Baskin School of Engineering is pleased to host a postdoc symposium to showcase rising talent in genomics research. The Next Wave of Faculty in Genomics Symposium will be held on the UC Santa Cruz campus, and is dedicated to celebrating the outstanding genomic and genetic research of postdoctoral fellows from across the country. Selected postdoctoral fellows will have the opportunity to share their research, network with UCSC Genomics Institute faculty, participate in career development workshops, and interact with current UCSC graduate students.
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For more information:
Questions can be directed to genomics-symposiums-group@ucsc.edu.
Meet our Speakers
Dr. Allie Graham, University of Utah
Talk title: “Convergent pathways associated with independent lineages invading of high-altitude environments”
Abstract:
Convergent evolution of adaptive traits in distantly related organisms inhabiting similar environments with the same selective pressures is common. Hypoxia is one selective pressure that stimulates a similar physiological response across metazoans allowing organisms to match oxygen supply/demand. Currently, it is of great importance to identify other, important pathways of hypoxia-induced pathophysiology which may be targeted for disease treatment. I used a 120-mammal genome alignment and other computational tools to test the hypothesis that there will be similar genes and regulatory networks associated with life at high-altitude, across independent lineages. Ultimately, I find evidence for convergent negative evolutionary rate-shifts (ie purifying selection) in genes associated with inflammation, blood-coagulation, vasculature and injury, while surprisingly major developmental pathways are under directional/positive selection.
Dr. Gage Moreno, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard
Talk title: “Pathogen genomic surveillance informs on SARS-CoV-2 infection and transmission risk”
Abstract:
The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has led to an unprecedented era in the role of viral genomics in precision public health. However, the full potential of this data is yet to be realized due to the challenges in linking epidemiological metadata back to the genomes. During the Delta variant outbreak in Provincetown, MA, in July 2021—the first large outbreak mostly among vaccinated individuals in the US – we initiated a genomics-guided epidemiological investigation providing the first evidence that vaccinated individuals could transmit SARS-CoV-2 when infected. As the pandemic continued, several Omicron sub-lineages swept the world amid boosting campaigns, raising questions about the utility of vaccines in slowing transmission. I paired over 122,000 Massachusetts SARS-CoV-2 genomes with individual-level epidemiological metadata to identify vaccine status and age influencing risk of infection whereas vaccine status, age, and viral load predict transmission risk. Altogether, modest investments in genomic surveillance can greatly enhance precision public health efforts.
Dr. Julia Maria Rogers, Harvard Medical School
Talk title: “Dynamic mechanisms of the Notch transcriptional response”
Abstract:
The development of multicellular organisms relies on the conversion of signaling inputs into precise patterns of gene expression associated with different cell types. Notch signaling is essential for organismal development, and its dysregulation leads to aberrant gene expression in a variety of diseases, including cancers. I have performed nascent transcriptome sequencing over a fine time course after activation of Notch signaling. Analyses of these data reveal clusters of genes with distinct temporal responses to Notch activation, highlighting the mechanistic heterogeneity in the dynamic transcriptional response to signal induction.
Dr. Edwin Solares, UC Davis
Talk title: “Insights into the genetic contributors of flowering and recent clonal variants in avocado for creation of a more sustainable avocado”
Abstract:
The ever-growing global demand for avocado continues to put stress on local water supplies and ecosystems already under pressure. The negative effects of climate change will continue to increase the resources needed to meet demand. Although breeding programs have strived to create a better and sustainable crop, the lack of genomic resources has limited these efforts. Our study has generated two genomic references of varieties intensively used for breeding, and we have used genome data to uncover insights into the genetics behind the unique flowering system of avocados, the evolutionary history of avocado domestication, and the recent and distinct variants that have arisen over the past century.