Genetics

Summer Genetics Scholars Program - American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics Foundation

• • Six week summer program

  • Applications open on January 23rd, 2023

Wright State University - Center for Genomics Research (CGR)

•  Dr. Michael Markey - Director of the Center for Genomics Research

  • Dr. Markey conducts research in genomics across neuroscience, toxicology, and molecular biology. His current projects include studies on the genetics of motion sickness, the body's response to physical training, epigenetic RNA modifications, alternative splicing in melanoma, and single-cell gene expression in neurons

Dr. John Paietta

• Current research:

  • Using a molecular genetic approach to study the sulfur regulatory system of a filamentous fungus

  • Studying regulatory interactions and organization of the eukaryotic multigene network

Dr. Kwang-Jin Cho 

• Current research:

  • Molecular mechanisms of K-Ras interaction with the plasma membrane, and discovery of compounds and proteins that regulate K-Ras plasma membrane interaction

  • May be helpful in future anti-cancer therapies

 Dr. Michael Craig

• Current research: 

  • Analysis of microRNA expression changes in response to exercise in individuals with Parkinson’s Disease, during aging, and associated with muscle inflammation in end-stage osteoarthritis

  • Office of Naval Research MURI Initiative with the University of Alabama, Birmingham and the Salk Institute aimed at identifying the epigenetic mechanisms underlying athletic performance changes occurring in response to moderate and high-intensity exercise

Dr. Madhavi Kadakia 

• Current research:

  • Signaling pathways regulated by p63 and its role in cancer

Dr. Michael Leffak

• Current research:

  • The study of proteins and DNA sequences that control DNA replication in eukaryotic cells and the relationship of replication to human disease. 

  • Causes and consequences of break induced replication at microsatellite DNAs

Dr. Weiwen Long - Associate Professor; Associate Chair, BMB

• Current research:

  • ERK3 signaling in cancer progression and metastasis

  • FBXL16 as an oncogenic F-Box protein in human cancers

• Dr. Long's research focuses on growth factor and steroid receptor/coactivator signaling in cancer progression and metastasis. His lab investigates ERK3, an atypical MAP kinase that promotes lung cancer invasiveness by phosphorylating SRC-3. ERK3 is upregulated in lung and breast cancers, suggesting a role in metastasis, and current studies aim to elucidate its signaling pathway, role in tumor progression using mouse models, and interaction with SRC-3 in anti-hormone resistance. Additionally, the lab explores FBXL16, an oncogenic F-Box protein that stabilizes key oncoproteins by antagonizing SCF E3 ligases, to understand its role in non-small cell lung and breast cancer progression.

Dr. Oleg Paliy - Associate Professor, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology - Research Lab Website

• Current research:

  • Role of gut microbes in human health and GI diseases

  • Gut microbiota as a modulator of diet and nutrition

  • Host-microbial interactions of pathogenic and commensal enterobacteria

  • Metabolic interactions in complex microbial communities

• Dr. Paliy's research focuses on the critical role of gut microbes in human health, with particular emphasis on their involvement in gastrointestinal diseases such as IBS, metabolic syndrome, and obesity. Dr. Paliy is particularly interested in understanding how the human gut microbiota mediates the effects of diet on both human physiology and the immune system. A key aspect of this work involves studying how gut microbial communities degrade dietary nutrients and how these processes influence overall health. Additionally, Dr. Paliy employs network analysis to examine microbiota composition, functional capacity, and metabolite transformations to gain a deeper understanding of their roles in maintaining health and contributing to disease.

Dr. Hongmei Ren - Associate Professor, Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

• Current research: 

  • Lipid metabolism and its association with autophagic clearance of mitochondria and homeostasis

  • Lipid metabolism’s effects on cardiac and skeletal muscle function

• Dr. Ren's research focuses on lipid metabolism, mitophagy, and muscle function, with an emphasis on therapeutic targets for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. Her lab discovered that increasing lipin1 expression prevents muscle damage, reduces degeneration and fibrosis, improves cardiac and skeletal function, and extends survival in mdx:lipin1Tg mice. Currently, they are exploring gene delivery to evaluate lipin1 as a potential DMD treatment.

Dr. Daniel T. Organisciak 

• Current research:

  • Vision loss from retinal photoreceptor cell degeneration

  • Looking at how long term light environment and genetics impacts this process

Dr. Paula Bubulya 

• Current research:

  • Defining mechanistic functions for Btf, TRAP150, and SON in fundamental cellular processes including nuclear speckle organization, gene regulation, and cell cycle control

Dr. Shulin Ju - Associate Professor Biological Sciences - Research Lab Page

• Current research:

  • Characterizing the functions of proteins involved in familial Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (fALS) in order to target them for drug design

• Dr. Ju's research focuses on characterizing fALS-related proteins as potential drug targets using interdisciplinary approaches, including molecular and cellular biology, biochemistry, structural biology, and genetic screening. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), or Lou Gehrig's disease, is a progressive, fatal neurodegenerative disorder causing motor neuron degeneration, leading to muscle weakness and respiratory failure within 2–5 years. With no effective treatment available, ~10% of cases are familial (fALS), inherited in a Mendelian fashion. Dr. Ju seeks students interested in research credit hours (starting in the summer) or those committed to long-term involvement over multiple semesters. 

Dr. Ola Kolawole

• Current research: 

  • Focus on understanding mechanisms of virus-host cell interactions and virus evolution in order to develop antivirals

  • Focus on respiratory diseases and diarrheal diseases

Dr. Quan Zhong - Associate Professor Biological Sciences - Research Lab Page 

• Current research: 

  • How several neurodegenerative disease-associated proteins disrupt highly conserved cellular processes

  • Focus on a-synuclein, which when misfolded creates the Lewy bodies found in Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease

• Dr. Zhong's lab uses yeast as a genetic model to study alpha-synuclein toxicity in neurodegenerative diseases. Most opportunities require a multi-semester commitment or a full-time summer experience. The lab prioritizes students with a strong interest in molecular and cellular research and prefers those with prior experience for easier integration into ongoing projects. 

• American Society of Human Genetics

  • October 14th-18th, 2025, Boston, Massachusetts

Past Conferences: 

• Clinical Genetics Advanced Practice Provider Conference

  • September 12th-14th, 2023, Milwaukee, WI

  • Abstract Submission Deadline: CLOSED

• Midwest Genetics Annual Meeting

  • September 19th-20th, 2023, TBD

  • Abstract Submission Deadline: CLOSED

• 2023 Annual American Society of Humans Genetics

  • November 1st-5th, 2023, Washington, D.C.

  • Abstract Submission Deadline: CLOSED

• 2023 iSPE Facilities of the Future Conference

  • January 31st - February 1st, 2023, North Bethesda, MD

  • Abstract Submission Deadline: CLOSED

• Nature Genetics

• PLoS Genetics

• CELL: Trends in Genetics

• AJHG: The American Journal of Human Genetics

• Journal of Medical Genetics