How Does Biological Organization Influence Molecular Evolution?

We are a computational biology lab studying how biological organization shapes the evolution and regulation of human complex traits. Our research integrates genomic data, single-cell transcriptomics, and proteomics to investigate how gene regulatory architectures and molecular interaction networks shape genetic variations' impact on phenotypic outcomes. Based at the Center for Human Genetics at Philipps-University Marburg and Universitätsklinikum Marburg, we focus on the genetic architecture of polygenic traits and on the biological interpretation of genome-wide association signals. In particular, we ask how network structure, regulatory context, and cell-type specificity determine the magnitude, distribution, and portability of genetic effects across the genome and across human populations. Methodologically, our work spans next-generation sequencing analysis, network-based and evolutionary modeling, and molecular simulations. By integrating these approaches, we aim to develop a systems-level understanding of how molecular organization constrains and enables phenotypic variation and its evolution.