Gregory Gibson, Professor and Director of the Center for Integrative Genomics
Ph.D., University of Basel, Switzerland
Phone: 404-385-2343
Fax: 404-894-0519
Office: (CE) 301
Research Interests
Genomic approaches to human genetics; variability of gene expression; systems biology of disease; theory of canalization and biological robustness.
Overview
A generally overlooked aspect of biological systems is their robustness. Development, behavior and physiology for the most part operate within some normal range and are resistant to environmental or mutational perturbation. Humans in particular evolved rapidly and have dramatically altered their own environment in recent generations. My group is interested in the question of whether and how these perturbations contribute to complex diseases like metabolic syndrome, cancer, and depression.
Our general approach involves profiling human samples with a combination of high-throughput 'omic' technologies, such as whole-genome genotyping, gene expression profiling, and metabolomics. We then use the classical tools of quantitative genetics to quantify variation, and adopt emerging bioinformatic approaches to evaluate the likely functional consequences of variation in gene networks.
We are doing this in the context of normal variation in blood samples from populations in transition, such as villagers and urban dwellers in Morocco and Fiji; and also in relation to disease susceptibility in large Atlanta-based populations. This 'genetics of gene expression and metabolite abundance' approach is revealing how the stress of life pushes organisms out of their buffering zone, leaving more and more of us at risk of disease.
Selected Publications
[Complete list of publications]
Gibson, G (2009) Decanalization and the origin of complex disease. Nature Review Genetics 10(2):134-40. February 2009 publication.
Gibson, G (2008) The environmental contribution to gene expression profiles. Nature Reviews Genetics 9: 575 - 581.
Dworkin, I. Kennerly, E. Tack, D. Hutchinson, J. Brown, J. Mahaffey, J and Gibson, G. (2008) Genomic consequences of background effects on scalloped mutant expressivity in the wing of Drosophila melanogaster. Genetics.
Idaghdour, Y., J.D. Storey, S. Jadallah, and G. Gibson (2008) A genome-wide gene expression signature of environmental geography in leukocytes of Moroccan Amazighs. PLoS Genetics 4: e1000052.
Kennerly, E.M., A. Acton, S. Martin, S. Gregory, R. Wolfinger, M. Stoskopf and G. Gibson (2008) A gene expression signature of stress in peripheral blood of captive and free-ranging red wolves (Canis rufus). Molecular Ecology.
Passador-Gurgel, G., W-P. Hsieh, P.K. Hunt, N. Deighton, and G. Gibson (2007) Quantitative trait transcripts for nicotine resistance in Drosophila melanogaster. Nature Genetics 39: 264-268.
Ocorr, K.A., T. Crawley, G. Gibson and R. Bodmer (2007) Genetic variation for cardiac dysfunction in Drosophila. PLoS ONE 2: e601.
Hsieh, W.P., G.Passador-Gurgel, E.A. Stone and G. Gibson (2007) Mixture modeling of transcript abundance classes in natural populations. Genome Biol. 8(6): R98.
Moser, J.M., I. Carbone, P. Arasu, and G. Gibson (2007) Genetic variation and population structure at asp-1 and cox-1 of the canine hookworm, Ancylostoma caninum. J. Parasitol., 93: 796-805.
Need, A.C., D. Attix, J. McEvoy, E. Cirulli, K. Linney, A.P. Wagoner, C. Gumbs, I. Giegling, H.J. Möller, C. Francks, P. Muglia, A. Roses, G. Gibson, M.E. Weale, D. Rujescu and D.B. Goldstein. (2008) Failure to replicate effect of Kibra on human memory in two large cohorts of European origin. Neuropsychiatric Genetics.