The Department has several faculty members whose research interests are the fields of Genetics, Cell and Developmental Biology. Specific Faculty research interests include the maintenance and repair of the genetic material (Crouse, Spell), the regulation of gene expression (Corces, Jones, Kelly, Lucchesi, Taylor), evolutionary and population biology genetics (Gerardo, Levin, Real, Schlenke, Tao, Yokoyama) and the genetic and biochemical pathways involved in the development of vertebrate and invertebrate organisms (Kelly, Fritz, L'Hernault, Lynn, Shepherd, Siegler, Yedvobnick). A wide variety of genetic model organisms are used by faculty working in these areas including yeast (S. cervisiae); fruit fly (D. melanogaster); nematode (C. elegans) and zebrafish (Danio rerio).

Faculty working in this area of research:

Faculty		Quick Description
	Victor Corces Rollins 1071B 404-727-4250 vcorces@emory.edu	The goal of our research is to understand epigenetic mechanisms controlling the expression of eukaryotic genes. The main focus of our lab is the study of the organization of the chromatin fiber within the eukaryotic nucleus and the mechanisms controlling this organization. We are also interested in the role of the primary structure of the chromatin fiber, as determined by histone tail modification, in the regulation of transcription. View Profile.
	Gray Crouse Rollins 1009 404-727-4236 gcrouse@emory.edu	We study processes that cause DNA damage and mutation in the cell, and processes that repair the damage before it can cause mutations. Our particular interest is in oxidative damage and we use that most perfect of model organisms, yeast. View Profile.
	Roger Deal Rollins 2017 404-727-8087 roger.deal@emory.edu	Our research is driven by a desire to understand the fundamental mechanisms of chromatin-based gene regulation. We strive to elucidate how these mechanisms are used to shape the gene expression profiles of individual cell types during cell differentiation and organ formation. View Profile.
	Andreas Fritz Rollins 1119 404-727-9012 andreas.fritz@emory.edu	The highly reproducible development of complex organisms from a single cell is one of the most amazing biological processes. We use the zebrafish model system to investigate the genetic and molecular requirements underlying embryonic patterning and development. View Profile.
	Nicole Gerardo Rollins 1111 404-727-0394 nicole.gerardo@emory.edu	Our lab is interested in how host and microbial traits shape the evolution of both beneficial and harmful associations. We are particularly interested in how host immune responses differ upon introduction of beneficial versus harmful microbes, and how the presence of protective microbes alters host investment in immunity. We utilize insect microbe associations amenable to experimental manipulation. View Profile.
	George H. Jones Rollins 2001 404-727-0712 george.h.jones@emory.edu	We are interested in the biochemistry and evolution of RNA degradation pathways in bacteria and the relationship of RNA degradation to antibiotic biosynthesis in Streptomyces . We are particulary interested in RNA polyadenylation in various bacterial species and in the role of double strand specific endoribonucleases in regulating antibiotic production. We utilize biochemical, genetic, and bioinformatic approaches to study these systems. View Profile.
	William Kelly Rollins 2029 404-727-6461 william.kelly@emory.edu	We study highly conserved and presumably ancient mechanisms that operate in the germ line to protect and maintain the integrity of the genome across generations. We have identified several of these mechanisms and study them using the nematode C. elegans as a model system. View Profile.
	Steven L'Hernault Rollins 2001C 404-727-4234 bioslh@emory.edu	We study how the vesicular trafficking pathway in developing sperm alters the cell surface to allow it to interact with the egg surface. Our studies are done in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans using genetic, molecular and biochemical techniques. View Profile.
	Bruce Levin Rollins 1109 404-727-2826 blevin@emory.edu	We do theoretical and empirical studies of the population biology and evolution of bacteria and their accessory genetic elements and the population dynamics, evolution, and control of infectious disease. View Profile.
	John Lucchesi Rollins 1011 404-727-4943 jclucch@emory.edu	Chromatin is the complex of DNA and protein that makes up chromosomes. We study the chemical and structural changes that occur in chromatin in order to initiate and maintain gene expression. View Profile.
	David Lynn Emerson Hall 407 404-727-9348 dlynn2@emory.edu	My research interests include chemical biology, self-assembly, and signal transduction in cellular development and pathogenesis, conformation and molecular evolution, nanostructural synthesis and self-assembly, molecular skeletons for storing and reading information, and the origins of life. View Profile.
	Leslie Real Rollins 1101A 404-727-4099 lreal@emory.edu	Interaction of genetic structure of populations and the ecological dynamics of infectious diseases; molecular evolution in rabies viruses. View Profile.
	Todd Schlenke Rollins 1017 404-727-0817 tschlen@emory.edu	Our lab uses genetic mapping, gene expression, molecular biology, and comparative genomic techniques to study (1) the cellular immune response of fruitflies against natural pathogens, (2) the infection strategies parasitic wasps use to circumvent the Drosophila immune system, and (3) fruitfly resistance to insecticides and other toxins. View Profile.
	Iain Shepherd Rollins 1131 404-727-2632 iain.shepherd@emory.edu	My lab studies the genetic basis of the development of the enteric nervous system (ENS) - the nervous system of the intestine. We use genetic, cell biological, and embryological experimental techniques in our studies. These studies are clinically important. Hirschsprung's disease is a pediatric ENS condition that affects 1 in 5000 live births, the cause of which is only partly understood. View Profile.
	Melody Siegler Rollins 2107 404-727-0071 msiegle@emory.edu	Our research concerns the developmental events that give rise to the mature nervous system, specifically the interplay of lineage and extrinsic influences in the formation of neural circuits. View Profile.
	Rachelle Spell Rollins 2015 404-727-5828 rachelle.spell@emory.edu	I work with undergraduates to study genes in yeast important for genome stability. Specifically, my research examines the regulatory mechanisms that suppress inappropriate recombination in yeast and that prevent cancer and premature aging in humans. View Profile.
	Yun Tao Rollins 1015 404-727-0815 ytao3@emory.edu	We study the genetics of new species formation and the genetics of intragenomic conflicts in the fruitfly species Drosophila simulans and its sibling species. We are testing the hypothesis that genetic conflicts are the major cause of speciation. View Profile.
	James Taylor Rollins 2019 404-727-4906 james.taylor@emory.edu	We use machine learning to understand how gene regulation is encoded in the genome, and build software to facilitate accessible, transparent and reproducible computational biology. View Profile.
	Barry Yedvobnick Rollins 2025 404-727-4203 barry.yedvobnick@emory.edu	Notch is a major signaling pathway within metazoa that has been implicated in an array of developmental and disease mechanisms. Using genetic and molecular methods, our lab has been screening for novel loci that contribute to Notch signaling. View Profile.
	Shozo Yokoyama Rollins 1103 404-727-5379 shozo.yokoyama@emory.edu	We study the molecular genetics and adaptive evolution of color and dim-light vision in various vertebrate species. To elucidate the molecular mechanisms of these adaptive events, we use methods of molecular/cell biology, protein modeling, quantum chemistry, psychophysics, and molecular evolution. View Profile.