Sarah Wiley

Hi! After I graduated from Emory with a degree in Biology in 2004, I immediately started my graduate career here in UPGG. Although I knew I loved genetics I really had no idea what I wanted to do when I got here. Fortunately, UPGG is designed for people like that. During my first year, I worked with Doug Marchuk's lab, a human genetics lab, with John Klingensmith’s lab, where they study neural tube and head development in mice, and finally with Ken Poss’s lab, where they study regeneration in zebrafish. 

Although these were all great labs, I am now working with Sue Jinks-Robertson. One of the primary focuses in our lab is on mutagenesis in yeast. Though mutagenesis is a prerequisite for evolution, it is also a major contributor to human diseases. Mutations arise in our DNA due to damaging agents, such as UV, but also arise during errors in DNA replication, recombination and even DNA repair. We aim to study exactly how these mutations arise. 

UPGG is a great program for graduate students wanting to explore many different areas of research. It’s also a great program for students who really want to take a more active role in their program. Students are very much involved in the inviting of different researchers to come speak, annual recruitment weekends, our annual student-run retreat, etc. Duke itself is a terrific university with so much to offer, it really makes an excellent place to be for graduate school.

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