Rare Variants and the Genetics of Autism
- Speaker
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Evan Eichler, Ph.D.Department of Genome Sciences and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Washington
Simons Foundation Presidential Lectures are free public colloquia centered on four main themes: Biology, Physics, Mathematics and Computer Science, and Neuroscience and Autism Science. These curated, high-level scientific talks feature leading scientists and mathematicians and are intended to foster discourse and drive discovery among the broader NYC-area research community. We invite researchers in the area — as well as interested members of the metropolitan public — to join us for this weekly lecture series.
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Over the last decade, tremendous advances in sequencing technology have allowed scientists to study the full spectrum of human genetic variation and its relationship to disorders associated with mental health. In this lecture, Evan Eichler will present his laboratory’s recent work studying specific forms of both inherited and sporadic mutations to identify new genes underlying autism and developmental delay. He will also discuss promising paths forward for understanding more complex genetic forms of these disorders.
Registration is required for this free event.
Further instructions and access to join the webinar will be sent to all registrants upon sign up.
Inquiries: lectures@simonsfoundation.org
About the Speaker
Eichler is a professor of genome sciences at the University of Washington in Seattle and a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator. He received his Ph.D. from Baylor College of Medicine. After his postdoctoral fellowship at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, he joined Case Western Reserve University in 1997 and the University of Washington in 2004. His research group provided the first genome-wide view of segmental duplications within human and primate genomes. He is a leader in identifying and sequencing normal and disease-causing structural variation in the human genome. The long-term goal of his research is to understand the evolution and mechanisms of recent gene duplication and its relationship to copy number variation and human disease with a specific emphasis on the genetic architecture of autism and neurodevelopmental delay.