Mostafavi Lab
Principal Investigator: Hakhamanesh Mostafavi
Institution: New York University (New York, NY)
Primary Subfield: Genetics/Genomics
Recruitment Status: ✅ Hiring Postdocs
Research Focus
Genome-Wide Association Studies (GWAS) have proven remarkably successful in discovering genetic variants associated with human complex traits and diseases. However, the functional mechanisms of these variants remain poorly understood. Most traits are under natural selection, and their genetic basis is shaped by pop- ulation genetic processes. Consequently, integrating molecular and cellular understanding with those from population genetics can provide valuable insights. In this project, we propose new conceptual and statistical approaches that embody this interdisciplinary perspective. To implement and test our models, we will leverage large-scale biomedical datasets, including the UK Biobank and the All of Us biobank. Aim 1: Understanding what genes contribute most to complex traits. Most GWAS variants are non-coding, and their target genes are unknown, a crucial aspect for understanding biology and applications such as drug development. To bridge this gap, one set of approaches integrates GWAS with external functional data. Another strategy uses rare disrupting mutations within coding regions of genes. However, these methods have yielded disparate results. To address this, first,…
Active NIH Awards
- 5R35GM157134-02: Deconstructing the Genetic Basis of Complex Trait Variation (2026)
- 1R35GM157134-01: Deconstructing the Genetic Basis of Complex Trait Variation (2025)
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