Gregory Gibson, Professor and Director of the Center for Integrative Genomics
Ph.D., University of Basel, Switzerland
Email:
Phone: 404-385-2343
Fax: 404-894-0519
Office: Boggs 1-98
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.
Recent Publications
Greg Gibson (2012) Rare and common variants: twenty arguments NATURE REVIEWS GENETICS 13: 135-145 [PDF]
Gibson, G, Nasser M. Al-Daghri, Omar S. Al-Attas, Majed S. Alokail, Khalid M. Alkharfy, Sobhy M. Yakout, Shaun B. Sabico1, George P. Chrousos, Sudhesh Kumar. (2011) Parent-Offspring Transmission of Adipocytokine Levels and Their Associations with Metabolic Traits. PLoS ONE 6(4): e18182. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0018182 [PDF]
Reed, L., S. Williams, M. Springston, J. Brown, K. Freeman, C. DesRoches, M.B. Sokolowski & G. Gibson (2010)Genotype-by-diet interactions drive metabolic phenotype variation in Drosophila melanogaster. Genetics, in press.
Cirulli ET, D Kasperavičiūtê, D Attix, AC Need, D Ge, G Gibson & DB Goldstein (2010) Common genetic variation and performance on standardized cognitive tests. Eur J Hum Genet. In press.
Gibson, G (2009) Decanalization and the origin of complex disease. Nature Review Genetics 10(2):134-40. February 2009 publication.
Idaghdour, Y., W. Czika, K. Shianna, H. Lee, P.M. Visscher, H. Martin, K. Miclaus, S. Jadallah, D.B. Goldstein, R.D. Wolfinger & G. Gibson (2009) Geographical genomics of human leukocyte gene expression variation in Southern Morocco. Nature Genetics 42: 62-67.
McGraw, L.A., G. Gibson, A.G. Clark & M.F. Wolfner (2009)Strain-dependent differences in several reproductive traits are not accompanied by early postmating transcriptome changes in female Drosophila melanogaster. Genetics 181: 1273-1280.
Need, A.C., D. Attix, J. McEvoy, E. Cirulli, K. Linney, P. Hunt, D. Ge, E. Heinzen, J. Maia, K.V. Shianna, M.E. Weale, L. Cherkas, G. Clement, T.D. Spector, G. Gibson & Goldstein, D.B. (2009)A genome-wide study of common SNPs and CNVs in cognitive performance in the CANTAB. Hum. Mol. Genet. 18: 4650-4651.
Kennerly, E.M., Y. Idaghdour, N. Olby, K. Munana & G. Gibson (2009)Pharmacogenetic association study of 30 genes with phenobarbital drug response in epileptic dogs. Pharmacogenet Genom 19: 911-922.
Goering, L.M., P. Hunt, C. Heighington, C. Busick, P. Pennings, J. Hermisson, S. Kumar & G. Gibson. (2009)Association of orthodenticle with natural variation for early embryonic patterning in Drosophila melanogaster. J Exp Zool B. Mol Dev Evol 312B: 841-854