Audrey Gasch
Credentials: Genetics Department
Position title: Genomic expression in response to stress
Email: agasch@wisc.edu
Phone: (608) 265-0859
Address:
3426 Genetics-Biotech Center Bldg
425 Henry Mall
Madison, WI 53706
LAB WEBSITE:
FOCUS GROUPS:
Systems Biology; Transcriptional Mechanisms
RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:
The Gasch lab combines functional and comparative genomics with computational and molecular biology, for a systems-wide view of eukaryotic stress defense and signaling. We are interested in how cells sense their environment, detect when there is a problem, and then mount a multi-faceted response to protect themselves against stress. We study these topics in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a model for basic biology. Because defects in sensing and responding to cellular stress are linked to many human diseases, and because much of yeast physiology is similar to human cells, our research is generating important insights into how normal cells function and when problems cause disease. In addition to addressing fundamental questions about basic biology, we also apply this information to producing sustainable and economical biofuels from cellulosic materials, through research in the GLBRC. Because yeast stress is a critical bottleneck in generating economical fuels from available biomass, our research is advancing this area by using our knowledge to engineer yeast for industrial use.
ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: Genetics, Microbiology (MDTP), Medical Scientsit Training Program (MSTP), Genomic Science Training program (GSTP), Computation and Informatics in Biology and Medicine (CIBM), Aging