Our research interest lies at the intersection of genomic robustness and systems biology. Genomic robustness refers to the ability of an organism to maintain its normal function despite variations in its genetic material. This is an important aspect in understanding the stability and evolution of biological systems. Systems biology, on the other hand, involves the study of biological systems at a holistic level, considering the interactions and relationships between the various components within a system. By combining these two areas of study, we aim to gain a better understanding of how genomic robustness affects the overall functioning of biological systems, and how this knowledge can be applied to various areas such as biotechnology, medicine, and synthetic biology. Our goal is to provide insights into the mechanisms of genomic robustness, and to develop methods to modulate and optimize it for various applications.

    • Evolutionary landscape of virus evolution under selection pressure
      • How do viruses evolve in the presence of neutralizing antibodies?
    • Deep-learning of rules governing antibody specificity
      • Is it possible to computationally predict and make tailor-made antibodies that could bind and neutralize emerging viruses?
      • What biophysical rules govern the folding and specific binding of antibodies to antigens?
    • Noncoding RNA’s role in guiding cancer evolution
      • How do micro-RNA molecules affect the progression of melanoma and medulloblastoma?
      • How do long noncoding RNA (ncRNA) molecules affect the evolution of melanoma and medulloblastoma in patient bodies?
    • Soil fungi’s evolutionary partnership with plants
      • Soil fungi constitute more biomass than any other eukaryotic organism on the earth, and they play essential role through symbiosis and commensalism with plants in controlling the climate. Can we harvest their power through genome-instructed approaches?
    • Basis of genomic robustness
      • How robust are genomes to mutational onslaughts, and how do genomes strategize against loss due to damage? We discovered that a major mechanism is the presence of cryptic redundant pathways of recovery when the genome is damaged.
    • Networks of molecular-genetic interaction in biology
      • How does one make sense of complexities of life through molecular interactions of proteins and genes? We developed tools and principles to study these complex interaction networks.
    • Noncoding RNA in plant development
      • We were the first to discover the Dicer group of genes in plants, and had the first patent on one of these genes
    • Genetics of plant reproduction
      • We contributed to understanding:
        • How pollen tubes find the eggs before fertilization
        • How early embryonic pattern is controlled by the mother-plant
        • How flowering time and flower geometry are controlled by genes
    • Computing with DNA
      • We conducted pioneering studies on massively parallel computing with DNA molecules. About two and a half decades later, these initial scouting studies are only now being translated into technology