Governor's Chair Address

“Experimental Precision Medicine using the BXD Family of Mice: Early Results and Prospects” presented by Robert W. Williams, PhD

The analysis of human disease has profited enormously from systematic application of reductionist methods. But as we learn more about disease susceptibility and the impressive range of natural variation among humans, we realize that final outcomes are due to complex interactions among systems that are essentially irreducible. How do we model and test such complexity and take into account the major roles played by genetic variation and environmental perturbations such as changes in diet, stress level, and exercise? We need experimental systems with tightly controlled genomes and environments, but with a level of genetic complexity that mirrors human population diversity. This type of Experimental Precision Medicine is now possible using Genetic Reference Populations of mice, rats, and fruit flies. These resources promise to revolutionize our ability to deliver personalized and predictive health care to humans over the next 100 years. In this talk I will review how Reference Populations are being used to study brain function, aging, diet effects, and disease risk. I will also introduce a powerful on-line resource called GeneNetwork that is used for systems genetics research.

Robert W. Williams, PhD

Chair and Professor, UTHSC Department of Genetics, Genomics and Informatics, UT-Oak Ridge National Laboratory Governor’s Chair in Computational Genomics 

Tuesday, December 19, 2017 –12-1pm

Freeman Auditorium
930 Madison Ave., 3rd Floor

Light Refreshments Served