New lab announcement: Erik Andersen at Northwestern University

The Andersen laboratory opened its doors in February of 2013 (http://groups.molbiosci.northwestern.edu/andersen/). Research in our group focuses on identifying the genes and molecular mechanisms underlying responses to chemotherapeutic and anthelmintic drugs, behavioral adaptations to microbial stresses, fat accumulation and storage, and aging-related processes. We use classical, quantitative, and molecular genetics in the roundworms Caenorhabditis elegans and Caenorhabditis briggsae to identify the genes that vary within populations. The identities of these genes and the mechanisms for how they cause phenotypic differences are of critical importance to understand how individuals vary in disease susceptibilities and drug responses. In addition to genetics, we use new sequencing technologies, high-throughput phenotyping assays, and other genomic tools to determine the molecular mechanisms for how genetic variation causes phenotypic differences.