Anjali Hinch
Germline mutation and Meiotic recombination
The chromosomes we inherit from our parents are not exact copies but mosaics of their chromosomes. These mosaics are created during the formation of eggs and sperm when cells cut chromosomes up and re-attach them, sometimes in new combinations (recombination). We discovered that our cells make an unexpectedly large number of errors in this process leading to changes in DNA (mutations).
We are interested in the mechanisms underlying recombination and mutagenesis. We perform a range of whole-genome experimental assays and leverage large-scale human genetic datasets using statistical analyses and machine learning.
Our goal is to understand processes that impact DNA in the germline and how they affect human health and diversity. Many of these processes are complex and dynamic, involving the interplay of numerous proteins.
Our approach is data driven. We perform a range of experimental assays, including CRISPR-Cas9 mediated genome-editing, to learn how these proteins interact with the genome. We also utilise large-scale genetic and phenotypic datasets in humans (e.g., the UK Biobank) to understand their impacts on our health.
We weave together these diverse datasets for mechanistic inference using statistical analyses and machine learning.