BICB Colloquium: PingHsun Hsieh
BICB Colloquium Faculty Nomination Talks: Join us in person on the UMR campus in Usq 419, on the Twin Cities campus in MCB 2-122 or virtually at 5 p.m.
PingHsun Hsieh is Assistant Professor of Genetics, Cell Biology, and Development
Title: Structural Variation in Humans: Insights from Evolutionary Theory and Long-Read Sequencing
Abstract: Evolutionary theory is essential for studying human biology and health, from identifying variants that could result in genetic novelties via evolutionary processes like hybridization and selection, to comprehending the genetic basis of adaptive traits and disease risk in populations. Recent advancements in long-read sequencing now allow us to examine previously inaccessible variations in some of the most challenging regions of the human genome, particularly for structural variation, which is a significant yet understudied genomic variation affecting far more bases than single-nucleotide variants. In this presentation, I will showcase our efforts in understanding the evolution and biological implications of genomic variation and illustrate how evolutionary-based inferences can enhance our knowledge of human biology and health.