MDI Biological Laboratory

MDI Biological Laboratory
HomeResearchFacultySam Beck, Ph.D.

Sam Beck, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor

Education

  • Postdoctoral Fellow, The University of Texas at Austin, Systems Biology
  • Postdoctoral Fellow, Yonsei University, Network and Systems Biology
  • Ph.D., Seoul National University, Network and Systems Biology, 2011
  • B.S., Seoul National University, Animal Biotechnology, 2004

Contact

207-288-9880, ext. 476

In an era of big data, many biological problems can be resolved through computational analysis and bioinformatics. These disciplines analyze large biological datasets using computer science, statistics and mathematical modeling to understand biological systems and relationships. Research in my laboratory is focused on adapting computational analysis and bioinformatics to biological problems while also relying on traditional experiments to validate bioinformatics-based predictions. We are employing big data analytics, genomics and cell biology to understand the comprehensive biological mechanisms underlying gene regulation in human aging, and how dysregulation of gene expression is associated with reduced lifespan and age-related disease. In particular, my laboratory is focused on the study of progeria, or Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome, a rare, fatal genetic condition characterized by accelerated aging in children. The name, which is derived from the Greek, means “prematurely old.” The aim of my research is to gain new insight into the molecular mechanisms underlying aging with the ultimate goal of developing therapeutics to extend healthy human lifespan and slow the onset of age-related degenerative diseases.

 

  1. Lee JY, Song J, LeBlanc L, Davis I, Kim J, Beck S† (2021) Conserved dual-mode gene regulation programs in higher eukaryotes. Nucleic Acids Res. 2021. Epub ahead of print.
  2. Beck S†, Rhee C, Song J, Lee BK, LeBlanc L, Cannon L, Kim J† (2018) Implications of CpG islands on chromosomal architectures and modes of global gene regulation. Nucleic Acids Res. 18;46(9):4382-4391 (†Correspondence)
  3. Beck S, Lee BK, Kim J (2015) Multi-layered global gene regulation in mouse embryonic stem cells. Cell Mol Life Sci. 72(2): 199-216. (Cover article)
  4. Beck S, Lee BK, Rhee C, Song J, Woo AJ, Kim J (2014) CpG island-mediated global gene regulatory modes in mouse embryonic stem cells. Nat Commun. 5:5490.

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Dr. Beck investigates the mechanism of gene regulation at the transcription level, using integrative Big Data Analysis and experimental validations. The lab aims to understand the comprehensive biological mechanisms underlying gene regulation at the transcription level. Undergraduate research fellows in Dr. Beck’s lab will perform the meta-analysis of various Next Generation Sequence data generated by RNA-seq, ChIP-seq, Bis-seq, Hi-C, and ChIA-PET techniques. They will also participate in experiments to detect and visualize the exact location of the specific gene locus within the nucleus.

  • Junyeong Lee, Ph.D: Postdoctoral Fellow
  • Ian Davis: Research Assistant I

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