Human Genetics

The intellectual exchange between human genetics and biomedical science has produced some of the most important and fruitful scientific discoveries of the past 50 years. The advances in human genetics and genomics made possible by the Human Genome Project and its aftermath have revolutionized the way scientific investigation is carried out in the areas of human disease and its animal models. In addition, the elucidation of the genetic contribution to literally thousands of human diseases has provided innumerable fundamental insights into normal biological function.

Many laboratories at UCSF use genetic approaches to untangle problems as diverse as infertility, cancer, adverse drug reactions, asthma, autism, birth defects, neurological diseases, obesity, diabetes and many others. Our faculty are leaders in the development of cutting-edge genome technologies including microarrays, comparative genome hybridization (CGH), whole-genome sequencing, population genetics, genetic epidemiology and computational genomics. They also use model organisms to discover and explore fundamental pathways that can lead to human disease.

All entering BMS Students take a core Genetics course (BMS 255) and can opt to take a seminar course BMS270 entitled “Disease Discovery through the Lens of Genetics” offered every other spring. Through the UCSF Institute for Human Genetics, students can interact with numerous genetic-oriented faculty and attend monthly genetic and genomic technology seminars.

External Links:

Participating Faculty

Ryan Corces, PhD

Primary Thematic Area: 
Neurobiology
Secondary Thematic Area: 
Human Genetics
Research Summary: 
The Corces Lab studies the genetic and epigenetic underpinnings of neurodegenerative diseases using primary human tissue, multi-omic profiling, and large-scale functional genomics assays.
Mentorship Development: 

11/10/20    Optimizing the Efficiency of Your Lab
2/18/21    Three Truths and Three Tries: Facing and Overcoming Critical Social Justice Challenges at the Micro, Mezzo, and Macro Levels
5/2021 - Sharpening your Mentoring Skills (SyMS)

Joseph Costello, PhD

Primary Thematic Area: 
Cancer Biology & Cell Signaling
Secondary Thematic Area: 
Human Genetics
Research Summary: 
Mechanistic and Translational Cancer Research using Genomic and Epigenomic Approaches

Kyle Cromer, PhD

Primary Thematic Area: 
Human Genetics
Secondary Thematic Area: 
Developmental & Stem Cell Biology
Research Summary: 
The research interest of my lab lies at the intersection of CRISPR-based genome editing and protein/cell engineering with special focus on hematopoietic stem cells and red blood cell disorders.

Joe Derisi, PhD

Primary Thematic Area: 
Human Genetics
Secondary Thematic Area: 
None
Research Summary: 
Genomic approaches to yeast molecular biology and infectious disease

Dena Dubal, MD, PhD

Primary Thematic Area: 
Neurobiology
Secondary Thematic Area: 
Human Genetics
Research Summary: 
Molecular mechanisms of aging, resilience, and neurodegenerative disease.
Mentorship Development: 

3/10/20    Promoting Student Mental Health:A Presentation and Discussion 
9/11/20    Mentoring Across Differences

David Erle, MD

Primary Thematic Area: 
Immunology
Secondary Thematic Area: 
Human Genetics
Research Summary: 
Immunopathogenesis of Asthma; Genomics of Disease

Ying-Hui Fu, PhD

Primary Thematic Area: 
Human Genetics
Secondary Thematic Area: 
Neurobiology
Research Summary: 
Molecular understanding of human sleep behaviors

Kathy Giacomini, PhD, BSPharm

Primary Thematic Area: 
Human Genetics
Secondary Thematic Area: 
Cancer Biology & Cell Signaling
Research Summary: 
Pharmacogenomics of Membrane Transporters

Luke Gilbert, PhD

Primary Thematic Area: 
Cancer Biology & Cell Signaling
Secondary Thematic Area: 
Human Genetics
Research Summary: 
The Gilbert lab's expertise is in synthetic biology, functional genomics and cancer biology.
Mentorship Development: 

4/26/19    Sharpening your Mentoring Skills (SyMS) with Sharon Milgram (Mission Bay)
12/12/19    ACRA: Setting Training Expectations for Trainees on the Academic Career Track (1.5 hours)
4/23/20    Effective Strategies for IDPs
10/20/20    Gathering in Community: a Training for Faculty and Staff

Hani Goodarzi, PhD

Primary Thematic Area: 
Cancer Biology & Cell Signaling
Secondary Thematic Area: 
Human Genetics
Research Summary: 
Our lab focuses on developing computational and experimental strategies to reveal and mechanistically characterize novel regulatory pathways that drive cancer metastasis.
Mentorship Development: 

4/11/19    Acknowleding and Negotiating the Mentee-Mentor Tensions Inherent in the Research Lab (Mission Bay)
10/20/20    Gathering in Community: a Training for Faculty and Staff

Erin Gordon, MD

Primary Thematic Area: 
Human Genetics
Secondary Thematic Area: 
Immunology
Research Summary: 
Determine the molecular mechanisms and causal variants of asthma-associated genetic loci.

Jennifer Grandis, MD

Primary Thematic Area: 
Cancer Biology & Cell Signaling
Secondary Thematic Area: 
Human Genetics
Research Summary: 
Translational Head and Neck Cancer Research

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