Research

The Pfeifer Lab works at the intersection between computer science, statistics, and evolutionary biology, with specific expertise in population genomics. We combine the development of novel population genomics datasets with computational and statistical methods for evolutionary inference to (i) comprehensively characterize the full spectrum of genomic variation in non-human primates, (ii) conduct genome-wide comparisons with humans to gain a better understanding of the diversity within and divergence between species, (iii) characterize the molecular and evolutionary processes determining the accrual, and dictating the fate, of mutations, (iv) determine associations with previously characterized clinical phenotypes, as well as (v) investigate the interplay of mutation with another population genetic process that shapes genome structure, recombination. Relevant publications.

Due to the difficulties inherent to working with primate samples, my course-based undergraduate research experience (CURE) in “Computational Genomics“ focuses on viruses – specifically bacteriophages, which are routinely used as anti-microbial agents in agriculture, biotechnology, and medicine. Relevant publications.

The Pfeifer Lab is in the School of Life Sciences at Arizona State University, and we are part of a large and collaborative group in evolutionary genomics at ASU – see ASUpopgen.org. We are also members of the Center for Evolution & Medicine, the Center for Mechanisms of Evolution, and the Mathematical, Computational, and Modeling Sciences Center.