As a biologist, I’ve always been fascinated by the “how does it work” question, across all areas of biology, but especially when it comes to DNA. During my PhD, I explored this curiosity in the parasitoid wasp Trichogramma kaykai, where some males possess an extra chromosome that causes them to produce sons instead of the usual daughters. This research revealed a clear role for chromatin, prompting me to investigate the molecular, chemical, and biophysical mechanisms of an enzyme that packages and unpacks DNA into chromatin. Building on this knowledge, I subsequently studied the genetics behind long-term memory in parasitoid wasps, a crucial factor in their survival and evolution.

After my work on neurogenetics in parasitoid wasps, I transitioned to human neurogenetics and joined the research team of Project MinE, which aims to uncover the genetic underpinnings of ALS. Project MinE’s goal is to sequence the genomes of 22,500 individuals with and without ALS to identify the influence of DNA on the disease. My primary focus is on mapping short, repetitive DNA sequences, known as repeats, and their role in ALS. To date, the largest known genetic contributor to ALS is a repeat expansion in the C9orf72 gene. My research seeks to uncover additional repeats that might play a role in ALS. In addition to studying repeats, I also support fellow researchers analyzing Project MinE genomes.