Jackson Laboratory

The Dumont Lab

Principal Investigator: Beth Dumont, Ph.D.

The Jackson Laboratory
Bar Harbor, ME

Contact me at: 207-288-6647

Connect with me:

Researching the mechanisms that generate genetic diversity through the lens of evolution

Our Research Focus

The broad objective of my research program is to understand the causes and consequences of variation in the cellular mechanisms that govern DNA inheritance: genetic recombination, chromosome segregation, and de novo mutation. To date, my work has combined wet-bench and computational approaches in multiple mammalian model systems to investigate variation in two recombination mechanisms, crossing-over and gene conversion. Over the next several years, my research group will work at the leading edge of genomics, evolutionary genetics, and cytogenetics to advance our understanding of recombination rate variation from diverse biological perspectives.

Full Scientific Report

Research HighlightJuly 12, 2018
The distinct forms of an important genomic disruption
A new paper further explains the genomic disruption known as the tandem duplicator phenotype (TDP), a common attribute in some of the most deadly cancers of women.
Research HighlightJune 21, 2018
Finding the genes controlling ovarian reserve could hold key to better female fertility care
Jackson Laboratory Assistant Professor Ewelina Bolcun-Filas, Ph.D., is looking at how multiple genetic factors regulating oocyte development determine the differences in each woman’s ovarian reserve.
Tech CornerApril 05, 2018
Finding the signal in the noise
GeneWeaver is a powerful web-based software system that combines a genomics data repository with powerful analysis tools.
- Genetic Tools
- Genetics and Genomics
Research HighlightApril 03, 2018
Calling all structural variants
Structural variants, or SVs, are large DNA sequences that are inserted, inverted, deleted or duplicated within genomes. Finding SVs with short-read seq and analysis methods is difficult, but a new SV identification tool, FusorSV, sets a gold standard for SV detection and analysis.
- Genetic Tools
- Genetics and Genomics

Minute to UnderstandingJune 28, 2018
What is epigenetics?
Learn how epigenetic changes can affect an individual without physically changing their DNA sequence.
- Aging
- Genetics and Genomics
Press ReleaseApril 30, 2018
Detecting human genome structural variation with long read sequencing
A research team led by Chia-lin Wei is using technology to more easily detect and classify important types of difficult-to-find genomic alterations, known as structural variants.
- Genetic Tools
- Genetics and Genomics
Press ReleaseApril 05, 2018
DNA sequence alterations linked to type 2 diabetes genes and mechanisms
Michael Stitzel, Ph.D., a Jackson Laboratory assistant professor, is the senior author of a paper in the American Journal of Human Genetics identifying new genetic clues to type 2 diabetes mechanisms.
Press ReleaseMarch 07, 2018
A reproductive biologist's second act
JAX Professor Mary Ann Handel has been recognized by her peers for a career of science and service.
- Women in Science
- Reproductive Disorders

Lab Staff

Uma Arora, BS

Predoctoral Associate

Investigating the composition and diversity of centromeric sequence amongst Mus musculus subspecies and autosomes vs sex chromosomes to understand their significance in evolution.
Beth Dumont, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor
Brett Haines, B.S.

Research Assistant

Selected Publications

View full list of publications