mdporter@ucdavis.edu
Genetics Graduate Student
In 2010, I earned a B.S. cum laude in "Chemistry with a Focus in Biochemistry" from the University of Florida. I really enjoyed my science classes and my undergraduate research experience, and having also held on to a passion for programming as a hobby since middle school, I decided to apply immediately to the Genetics Graduate Group at UC Davis with the intention of performing research in the area of bioinformatics/genomics. I am presently a 3rd year graduate student shared between the labs of Luca Comai and Ian Korf, developing applied bioinformatics programs to answer questions about Arabidopsis suecica and how it rapidly adapted to its recently acquired allopolyploidy status (~50 kYa).
I have developed an easy-to-use Hidden Markov Model-based copy number variant identifier known as DupHMM. Using the results from DupHMM runs on A. suecica, as well as differential expression analyses between various RNA-Seq data sets, I have discovered interesting CNV and gene expression trends within A. suecica* that likely arose immediately after allopolyploidization as a result of selective pressures (results pending publication). The results from this project may allow me to press forward and examine CNV changes within a more economically significant allopolyploid: sugarcane.
I have also been collaborating with the lab of Satya Dandekar, seeking to understand how SIV infection influences gene and miRNA expression changes within gastrointestinal tissues.
I have many research interests. If there is a problem that pertains to human health or survival which can be tackled from a bioinformatics perspective, it will likely appeal to me.
Jun 26, 2015: Keith Bradnam is interviewed by Frontline Genomics Magazine about his life in Bioinformatics.
Apr 8, 2015: Ian Korf is quoted in a Nature commentary article about Bioinformatics Service cores and the need for beter career paths for bioinformaticians.
Mar 16, 2015: Danielle Lemay is interviewed by the UC Davis News team about the new publication by herself, Kristen Beck (lead author), Ian Korf and others that describes new milk proteomes for human and macaque.
Apr 22, 2013: The Assemblathon 2 paper has won the 2013 BioMed Central Open Data award
Dec 10, 2013: A short piece in the UC Davis Alumni Magazine that discusses the new Genomics undergraduate major that Ian Korf co-developed.
Nov 26, 2013: Ian Korf writes a News & Views piece for Nature Methods about two new comparisons of programs that work with RNA-seq data
Nov 1, 2013: Keith B. and Kristen are both featured in a piece on Inquiring Minds as part of the new One UC Davis campaign.
Our free 175-page primer that teaches the basics of Unix & Perl
Our book that greatly expands on our free primer.
A regular discussion forum at the Genome Center for all things relating to sequence analysis
Where we work
Part of the Genome Center
For questions or comments about the website, please e-mail:
korflab AT ucdavis DOT edu
Contact information for specific members of our lab can be found on their personal pages.