This action funds an NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellowship for FY 2009 using funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5). The training and development plan is entitled "Beyond the human genome: integrative analysis of epigenomic datasets" for Jason Ernst. The host institution for this research is Massachusetts Institute of Technology under the sponsorship of Manolis Kellis and the Broad Institute under the sponsorship of Bradley Bernstein.
The DNA sequence of the human genome is virtually unchanged across different cell types, yet cells can display extraordinary diversity in their behavior and function. Other factors, known as epigenetic factors, are responsible for observed differences across cell types. Technological advances have enabled the mapping of epigenetic factors in multiple cell types across the genome, yet in order to systematically interpret these data, new computational methods are needed. This research is on the development of such tools, specifically, probabilistic models for identifying important combinations of epigenetic modifications. Additionally this research focuses on the characterization of their function using large-scale genomic and epigenomic datasets.
Training objectives include gaining expertise on the biological aspects of epigenetics and epigenomics, as well as related areas of genomics and gene regulation. On the computational side, training will focus on machine learning methods. The resulting software will be broadly disseminated in the biological community. Jason Ernst is also conducting educational outreach activities with local high school students to raise awareness of career opportunities at the interface of computer science and biology.
