Pathology

Mitochondrial dysfunction is commonly associated with aging and age-related chronic diseases. A major goal of our research is to understand how mitochondrial dysfunction arises during aging and contributes to the pathogenesis of a broad spectrum of age-related diseases, from cancer to neurodegenerative diseases and sarcopenia. An overarching hypothesis is that aging and age-related diseases share  fundamental molecular and cellular mechanisms. Thus, by targeting the molecular drivers of aging, we can develop new understandings and therapies for many age-related diseases.

Dr. Cong's group is developing novel technology for genome editing and single-cell genomics, leveraging scalable methods inspired by data science and machine learning and artificial intelligence.

Environmental microbiology (e.g. diatoms, algae) and synthetic biology

Topics: Nitrogen fixation, lipid biosynthesis and transprot, cellular endosymbiosis, nonmodel organisms

Application areas: Fertilizers, Biofuels

Research in the Pollack lab centers on translational genomics, with a current focus on diseases of the prostate. The lab employs next-generation sequencing, single-cell genomics, genome editing, and cell/tissue-based modeling to uncover disease mechanisms, biomarkers and therapeutic targets.

One of the key ways that the gut microbiome impacts human health is through the production of bioactive metabolites. By understanding how microbes produce these molecules, we aim to develop new approaches to promote human health and treat disease. Our laboratory employs bacterial genetics, metabolomics, and gnotobiotic mouse colonization to uncover the chemistry that underlies host-microbe interactions in the gut.