Simons Center for Quantitative Biology | Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Sequence-function relationships, machine learning, and the biophysics of gene regulation
The Kinney Lab uses a tightly-knit combination of experiments, computation, and mathematical theory to study the biophysical mechanisms of gene regulation. Our experimental work uses massively parallel reporter assays (MPRAs) to measure the effects that variant gene regulatory sequences have on gene expression. We pursue this experimental work in two biological contexts: alternative mRNA splicing in human cells and transcriptional regulation in bacteria. Our theoretical and computational work develops methods for analyzing the data produced by MPRAs and other highly multiplexed assays. We aim to extract biophysically meaningful models of regulatory sequence function, but also to understand the quantitative nature of sequence-function relationships more broadly. These efforts include deploying robust software for use by the larger genomics community.
Research Focus
Massively Parallel Reporter Assays
Using high-throughput sequencing to measure how variant regulatory sequences affect gene expression in human splicing and bacterial transcription
Machine Learning for Genomics
Developing interpretable neural networks and biophysical models to understand sequence-function relationships from multiplex assays
RNA Splicing & Therapeutics
Studying alternative mRNA splicing mechanisms with applications to Spinal Muscular Atrophy, cancer, and splice-modifying drugs
Quantitative Sequence-Function Relationships
Developing mathematical frameworks for understanding quantitative sequence-function relationships
Bacterial Transcriptional Regulation
Studying the biophysics of transcriptional regulation in bacteria, using precision measurements to characterize cis-regulatory energetics in living cells
Lab News
Updates to follow
Simons Center for Quantitative Biology, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
1 Bungtown Road, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724