Every cell in our body has the same genome, yet different kinds of cells express different parts of it. How does this work? How is cell identity encoded in the genome? I explore this question in the nervous and immune systems — both of which have striking cell diversity — using genomic measurements and computation.
Using gene expression to explore neural circuit function. Different neurons express different sets of genes, but can this information help us understand how neural circuits work? To explore this question, we turned to the Drosophila visual system, a well-established model for studying the development, genetics, and structure of neural circuits. Together with Aljoscha Nern ( Janelia ) and Lee Henry (Janelia, now CSHL) we combined genetic tools to access individual cell types, a method to profile their nuclea
→ Gene expression levels measured by TAPIN-seq allow the inference of neurotransmitters produced by visual system neurons (row=cell type, column=gene).