chrisnasrallah

I am interested in the process of molecular evolution. My research aims to develop statistical methods for the analysis of genomic DNA to better understand this process, both between different species and within a single species.

Proteins and RNAs are important molecules that must fold into secondary and tertiary structures in order to perform their biological functions. The interactions among positions in the underlying DNA sequence produced by this folding have strong effects on the way in which evolution occurs at these genomic positions, and accounting for these interdependencies is crucial for analysis.

My current research is focused on developing methods for the detection of signatures of natural selection in the genome. Natural selection is an important process that shapes genotypes and phenotypes alike, and it leaves signatures in the genomes that can be detected with appropriate analyses. I am developing methods to address this challenging problem of inferring the past from what we can observe in the present. You can read more about my interests and publications here.