Meet the Lecturers:
Nandita Garud, PhD // Assistant Professor, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, UCLA
Nandita Garud is an Associate Professor in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Human Genetics, a Paul Allen Distinguished Investigator, and an NSF CAREER recipient. Her research centers on developing computational methods to analyze population genetics and metagenomic data, focusing on evolution in natural populations, including the human gut microbiome and Drosophila melanogaster. For more information, visit her lab.
Xia Yang, PhD // Professor, Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, UCLA
Xia Yang is a Professor in the Departments of Integrative Biology and Physiology and Molecular and Medical Pharmacology at UCLA, and serves as Vice Chair of the MCI Ph.D. Program and the CaSB Undergraduate Program. Her research uses big data and computational methods to explore multitissue multiomics networks related to complex diseases and physiological traits. She develops tools to integrate diverse multiomics data into molecular networks, aiming to understand disease mechanisms, identify targets, and predict therapeutics. For more information, visit her lab.
Sriram Sankararaman, PhD // Professor, Departments of Computer Science, Human Genetics, Computational Medicine, UCLA
Dr. Sankararaman is a Professor of Computer Science, Human Genetics, and Computational Medicine at UCLA, with a focus on integrating computer science, statistics, and biomedicine. He develops statistical and computational methods to analyze complex, high-dimensional datasets in genomics and medicine. His work addresses questions about human evolution, disease mechanisms, and improving diagnosis and treatment. By leveraging machine learning, algorithms, optimization, and high-dimensional statistics, Dr. Sankararaman has identified disease genes in diverse populations, discovered human-Neanderthal interbreeding, and established guidelines for sharing genetic data while maintaining privacy. For more information, visit his lab.
Jennifer L. Wilson, PhD // Assistant Professor, Department of Bioengineering, UCLA
Dr. Jennifer L. Wilson is an Assistant Professor in the UCLA Department of Bioengineering and leads the Lab for the Understanding of Network Effects (LUNE). She specializes in developing computational network models to enhance drug design by identifying potential druggable targets based on their protein network effects, focusing on immune, oncology, and schizophrenia indications. Dr. Wilson created PathFX, a novel algorithm currently used by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. For more information, visit her lab.
Heather Christofk, PhD // Professor, Departments of Biological Chemistry and Molecular & Medical Pharmacology, UCLA
Dr. Heather Christofk, a Professor at UCLA's David Geffen School of Medicine and Associate Director of Basic and Translational Research at the Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, focuses on metabolic transitions in cancer, virus infection, and cell differentiation. Her NIH and NCI-funded research investigates how metabolism is regulated in normal and cancer cells, identifying key enzymes and nutrients essential for tumor growth. She has discovered critical metabolic alterations in tumor cells and is exploring strategies to block these processes. Her lab aims to develop novel cancer treatments by targeting these metabolic vulnerabilities. For more information, visit her lab.