We study the biology of the nervous system from molecules to evolution to people.
Our first research focus investigates how connective tissue phenotypes and neurotypes intersect with cardiovascular and cerebrovascular regulation, particularly during orthostatic stress. We study links among generalized joint hypermobility, Ehlers-Danlos syndromes/hypermobility spectrum disorders, neurodevelopmental phenotypes, and orthostatic intolerance, including POTS. Our state-of-the-art electrophysiology laboratory combines continuous cardiovascular monitoring with transcranial Doppler ultrasonography to examine physiological responses to orthostatic stress.

Our bioinformatics research bridges clinical genomics, paleogenomics, and evolutionary biology. We use large-scale genomic and clinical datasets to investigate the genetic architecture of complex human phenotypes and disease, including neurodevelopmental, neuropsychiatric, and neurodegenerative conditions. Our paleogenomic work examines the roles of archaic variants in modern human phenotypes such as autism, while our evolutionary genomics research uses comparative approaches to investigate the origins and evolution of genes, biological systems, and complex traits.