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The Mohlke Lab performs human genetics research in the Department of Genetics at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. We are affiliated with the Computational Medicine Program, the McAllister Heart Institute, and the Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center. PhD students in the Mohlke Lab are part of the Genetics and Molecular Biology (GMB) Curriculum or the Bioinformatics and Computational Biology (BCB) PhD Curriculum, part of the Biological and Biomedical Sciences Program (BBSP).
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Research



Complex Trait Genetics
We identify genetic loci associated with type 2 diabetes, obesity, dyslipidemia and related quantitative traits.
Regulatory Genomics
We study genetic and environmental effects on epigenome and transcriptome variation in disease-relevant tissues
Disease Mechanisms
We determine how genetic variants affect genes and how genes function to influence disease processes
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Recent News
October 2, 2020 Congratulations Kevin!
Kevin Currin successfully defended his PhD thesis in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology. He described genetic and cell state effects on chromatin accessibility, including at cardiometabolic trait GWAS loci.
September 15, 2020 Type 2 diabetes R01 award
We will identify and characterize GWAS loci for insulin processing and secretion and use liver chromatin accessibility QTL to detect functional regulatory variants for insulin resistance. Collaborators include Terry Furey in the Departments of Genetics and Biology, Federico Innocenti in the Eshelman School of Pharmacy, and Michael Boehnke and Stephen Parker at the University of Michigan.
September 11, 2020 Adiponectin allelic heterogeneity published in PLoS Genetics
Cassie Spracklen described allelic heterogeneity at GWAS loci, including statistical, genomic, and molecular dissection of seven signals at ADIPOQ and two signals at CDH13. Coauthors include ten past and current members of the lab.
August 31, 2020 Congratulations Sarah!
Sarah Brotman’s ASHG abstract was recognized as a Reviewers’ Choice abstract. She will present adipose eQTL meta-analyses in October.
August 20, 2020 Accelerating Medical Partnerships UM1 award
With collaborators at the Broad Institute, Michigan and Stanford, we will join a new consortium to bridge the gap between type 2 diabetes GWAS loci and therapeutic targets.
June 16, 2020 Multi-PI R21 award
With Chris Sayed in the Department of Dermatology and Yun Li in the Departments of Genetics, Biostatistics and Computer Science, we will study the heritability of and genetic contributions to the common skin disorder hidradenitis suppurativa.
May 6, 2020 Type 2 diabetes GWAS in East Asians published in Nature
With over 100 co-authors and co-first author Cassie Spracklen, we identified and characterized loci for type 2 diabetes through the largest GWAS in a population of non-European ancestry. Other lab member contributors include Apoorva Iyengar, Hannah Perrin and Sarah Brotman.
April 17, 2020 Welcome Emma
Emmaleigh Wilson joins the lab as a graduate student in the Bioinformatics and Computational biology program. She will identify and characterize genetic loci associated with complex cardiometabolic traits including central adiposity.
February 17, 2020 Welcome Gautam
Gautam Pandey joins the lab as a postdoctoral fellow. He will build on his experience studying type 2 diabetes, obesity, and adiponectin using cellular and animal models and metabolomics by investigating gene function at molecular QTL and GWAS loci.
January 21, 2020 Welcome Shelley
Anne Shelley Moxley joins the lab as a research technician. She will perform molecular and cellular assays to evaluate variant and gene function.
December 15, 2019 Multi-signal colocalization paper published in Human Molecular Genetics
Alaine Broadaway and Ying Wu’s paper identifies colocalized GWAS and eQTL signals after accounting for primary signals at multi-signal loci.
December 12, 2019 Lab wins department holiday decorating contest
The coveted trophy returns as we celebrate first place with the Nutcracker theme.
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mohlke@med.unc.edu
Phone
919-966-2913
Office
5096 Genetic Medicine Building
Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7264