Welcome to the Genetics Department!

18 Labs
125 Students, trainees, & postdocs
50 Faculty

Our mission is to create an exciting and collegial environment where world-class research in Genetics and Genomics is translated into improvements in human health through better understanding of the molecular underpinnings of disease.


Save the Date

The Stormo Symposium on Computational Biology

Our Research Areas


Our Campus

Couch Biomedical Research Building

In 2015 the new state-of-the-art research building opened on McKinley Avenue featuring highly flexible open laboratories to facilitate collaboration and accommodate new research teams.

State-of-the-art Research Space

With six stories and 138,000 square feet of lab space, it houses researchers involved in genetics, genomics and regenerative biology, and consolidates most Department of Genetics faculty into a single location closer to important collaborators from other departments.

Research in Comfort

Each floor has a large relaxation area where you can access microwaves, fridges and coffee machines. Dedicated food truck parking and outdoor seating have made the lawn a popular place for people across the campus to gather.

Postdoc Profile

Meet Ju Heon Maeng, postdoctoral researcher in the Wang Lab. Ju Heon grew up in Seoul and Daejeon metropolitan areas in South Korea. He is currently investigating transposable element-derived antigens in patient-derived glioblastoma stem cells upon epigenetic treatment and transposable element expression in patients with neurodevelopmental diseases, including Alzheimer’s diseases.

Upcoming Events

Lab Spotlight

Meers Lab

Chromatin mediated gene regulation

Latest News

Congratulations to Caitlin Dingwall for winning the O’Leary Prize

Congratulations to Caitlin Dingwall for winning the O’Leary Prize

Each year the O’Leary Competition acknowledges the most original and important accomplishments in Neuroscience research at WashU by a predoctoral student or postdoctoral fellow. This year, Caitlin Dingwall, an MD/PhD student in the Milbrandt Lab won the prize along with Yun Chen, a graduate student in the Holtzman Lab!
Video: PhD Students Talk about New Research on Transposable Elements and Cancer

Video: PhD Students Talk about New Research on Transposable Elements and Cancer

In the new paper published in Nature Reviews, “Towards targeting transposable elements for cancer therapy”, graduate students Xuan Qu and Yonghao Liang (Holden) summarized the latest research developments in the field. In this video, they talk about their research focus in Dr. Ting Wang’s lab.

Our History

The Forefront of Genetics Research

The genetics department at Washington University is one of the oldest and highest ranked departments in the country, contributing to monumental projects such as the Human Genome Project.

Our Community

The Genetics Department at WashU fosters a collaborative atmosphere, promoting the sharing of innovative ideas and the collective learning from colleagues at all career stages. Our commitment to facilitating this exchange is evident through various initiatives, including regular gatherings like weekly seminars and annual scientific retreats.