Computational Biologist Melissa Wilson on Sex Chromosomes, Gila Monsters, and Career Advice – Biomedical Beat Blog – National Institute of General Medical Sciences

Computational Biologist Melissa Wilson on Sex Chromosomes, Gila Monsters, and Career Advice – Biomedical Beat Blog – National Institute of General Medical Sciences

Computational Biologist Melissa Wilson on Sex Chromosomes, Gila Monsters, and Career Advice

BY ERIC BOCK

Dr. Melissa Wilson.
Credit: Chia-Chi Charlie Chang.

The X and Y chromosomes, also known as sex chromosomes, differ greatly from each other. But in two regions, they are practically identical, said Melissa Wilson , assistant professor of genomics, evolution, and bioinformatics at Arizona State University.

“We’re interested in studying how the process of evolution shaped the X and the Y chromosome in gene content and expression and how that subsequently affects literally everything else that comes with being a human,” she said at the April 10 NIGMS Director’s Early-Career Investigator (ECI) Lectureat NIH.