Welcome to the Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences. Created in 1998, the department offers many exciting opportunities for research and graduate education. The department is located in the state-of-the-art Cell and Genome Sciences Building. The department is also the academic home of the Division of Medical Genetics which provides clinical and laboratory genetics services to Connecticut. Our research strengths include RNA biology, developmental biology, signal transduction, and the genetic and epigenetic mechanisms of gene regulation. We are continually increasing external funding for our current research programs, enhancing the national and international reputation of our faculty and their research, and recruiting outstanding faculty members with new and complementary areas of research expertise. We also have a close working relationship with the Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine (JAX-GM), and many of JAX-GM faculty have academic appointments in our department. Dr. Brenton R. Graveley, Professor and Chair of Genetics and Genome Sciences, UConn School of Medicine, and PHS Endowed Chair, in Genetics and Developmental Biology; Associate Director, Institute for System Genomics, University of Connecticut.
Upcoming Seminars

Next Generation of Weight Loss Drugs Being Researched at UConn
February 25, 2025
Nearly 30 years later Dr. Se-Jin Lee’s discovery of myostatin is not only leading to treatment for spinal muscular atrophy but also fueling the global obesity drug research race
Dr. Se-Jin Lee first discovered myostatin in 1997, a protein that is part of a system of checks and balances that limits human muscle growth. That discovery launched an extensive effort in the pharmaceutical community to develop myostatin inhibitors to treat muscle diseases.
More details at UConn Today
Genetics and Developmental Biology Graduate Program Student Retreat
February 19, 2025
The students and faculty gathered in Keller Auditorium to celebrate the research achievements of the students in the Genetics and Developmental Biology (GDB) Graduate Program. The symposium featured speaker, Dr. Montserrat Anguera, who presented her research on “Mechanisms of X-Chromosome Inactivation in the Immune System” followed by student poster presentations. The goal of the event was to showcase the research conducted in the labs and celebrate the important contributions made by these students.
Department Retreat
October 17, 2024
Hartford Yard Goats Event Room