Molecular Recognition in Biological Systems and Bioinformatics

Developmental biology; genomics; bioinformatics; genetics; gene regulation.

My laboratory investigates the genetic regulatory circuitry responsible for assigning cell fates during development, using the Drosophila embryonic mesoderm as our primary model system. Our work combines genomics and bioinformatics with the traditional molecular and genetic techniques of Drosophila research to investigate two key components of developmental regulatory networks, intercellular signaling and transcriptional regulation. Our approaches have broad applicability to the study of genomes other than that of Drosophila, including the human genome. Current research in the laboratory falls into the following areas: (a) discovery and characterization of transcriptional cis-regulatory modules (CRMs); (b) genome-wide analysis of core promoters and enhancer-promoter interactions; (c) transcription of regulatory element sequences; (d) mechanisms of specificity for receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) signaling; and (e) assessment of analysis methods for DNA microarrays.

Microscopy

Drosophila

Receptor tyrosine kinase pathways, pax1/9

Cancer, bone and muscle development

• Assorted molecular
• Genetic
• Computational methods

Drosophila cDNA collections

http://www.ccr.buffalo.edu/halfon/#references