Online at: 1PM PST | 2PM MST | 3PM CST | 4PM EST

Computational biology uses data analysis, modeling, and coding to answer biological questions. Brian uses these techniques to study population genetics using pedigrees.

Pedigrees are family trees that trace genetic relationships. They allow scientists to study inheritance patterns, genetic diversity, and evolutionary changes with precision.

Brian will be talking to us about his research focusing on the North American red squirrel population in the Yukon.

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Meet our guest:

Brian Kirz is a Computational Biologist at the University of Rochester working within Nancy Chen's lab. Their speciality is doing population genetics with pedigrees, which allow one to perform complex genomic analyses on large groups of people. His thesis is centered on the North American Red squirrel system in the Yukon. He is currently building a reference genome so he can examine development at multiple points in time and understand how selective regimes affect genetic diversity, long-term genetic contributions, and rapid evolution.