Gilad Barshad PhD, Assistant Professor

In the Barshad Lab, we study how transcriptional regulation and 3D genome organization work together to shape cellular function and disease.

Most human genetic variants linked to complex traits, including predisposition to many cancers, lie in non-coding regions within regulatory elements such as enhancers, promoters and insulators. Our research aims to decode the genetic language of these elements by uncovering the cis-regulatory sequences and the trans-acting factors that determine their activity. Using advanced molecular and computational genomics, we identify variants that drive cancer susceptibility and transformation and investigate the mechanisms through which they act. By revealing how non-coding variation alters gene regulation, our work advances both diagnostic and therapeutic efforts in the fight against cancer.