Robert Sladek
Associate Professor
Research in my lab focuses on learning how genetic mutations cause complex metabolic diseases. We have developed approaches to identify genetic changes across the genome that are associated with diabetes; and to identify the effects of genetic variation on RNA splicing and gene activation in mouse strains and human populations. Reflecting the increasing impact of diabetes and obesity on global health, much of my research involves collaborations with groups outside Canada. Current projects center on developing new lab techniques to learn how diabetes-associated variants identified in genome-wide association studies impair cell and organ metabolism. My group also collaborates in technology development projects to develop nanodevices to isolate and characterize nucleic acids in small biological samples.