Jackson Laboratory

The Munger Lab

Steve Munger

Principal Investigator: Steven Munger, Ph.D.

The Jackson Laboratory
Bar Harbor, ME

Contact me at: 207-288-1479

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Steven Munger, Ph.D., uses a systems genetics approach and advanced computational methods to study development and complex disease in advanced mouse populations.

Research Focus

The genetic origins of most developmental disorders and diseases are complex and remain poorly understood. Rather than a single deleterious mutation, genetic susceptibility to common diseases is conferred by many variants that individually assert subtle effects but in certain combinations perturb cellular networks sufficiently to bias them to a disordered/diseased state. Classic single-gene experimental approaches fail to elucidate these interactions, but new integrative genomic and genetic approaches from the emerging field of “Systems Genetics” hold considerable promise.

The Munger lab combines experimental and computational methods with advanced mouse mapping populations to solve these complex genetic puzzles.

We examine the natural genetic variation driving individual differences in 1) susceptibility to sex reversal during primary sex determination of the gonad, 2) disease severity in a mouse model of Cornelia de Lange Syndrome, and 3) transcript and protein expression in the adult liver. We apply our genetic and genomics toolkit to predict causal variants and genetic interactions underlying phenotypic variability, validate these predictions at the bench with functional genomics methods, and ultimately seek to extend these results to inform patient diagnosis and treatment.

Research HighlightNovember 08, 2018
Working with uncertainty in cell populations
JAX researchers have developed a new computational algorithm that is capable of modeling the effects of both stochastic gene expression and cell-to-cell variability in a cell population.
Search MagazineOctober 09, 2018
Of mighty mice and men
Pioneering scientist Se-Jin Lee, a leader in the study of muscle development, moves his groundbreaking research program to JAX.
Press ReleaseOctober 02, 2018
Addiction: The microbiome link
The National Institute on Drug Abuse has made a $4M grant to JAX scientists to explore the roles of the microbiome and genetics in substance use disorders.
Research HighlightSeptember 11, 2018
Exploring zinc finger proteins
The National Institute of General Medical Sciences has awarded Petko Petkov a four-year grant totaling $1,385,337 to exploit the new methods he has developed to profile and investigate zinc finger proteins and their binding sites.

Tech CornerOctober 11, 2018
Precision medicine and making sense of data
JAX professor calls for concerted effort to align data across patients and systems with comparable and consistent formats and contextual meaning.
Press ReleaseOctober 09, 2018
Advancing therapeutic gene editing
NIH awards $3.5M to JAX under multi-institution Somatic Cell Genome Editing program.
Search MagazineSeptember 11, 2018
Jumping genes and where to find them
Assistant Professor Christine Beck, Ph.D., is uncovering how recurring sequences in our genomes might shed light on genome stability, as well as diseases like cancer.
Press ReleaseSeptember 04, 2018
Using mathematical modeling to target infections
When an otherwise harmless fungus like Aspergillus fumigatus invades the lungs of people with compromised immune systems, it can cause severe respiratory problems. A new NIH grant will employ specialized mathematical and computer modeling to improve understanding of our biological defense system.

Lab Staff

Selcan Aydin, Ph.D.

Postdoctoral Associate

Postdoctoral Associate working for Steven Munger.
Catherine Brunton

Research Assistant II

Assists Munger lab with mouse colony management, molecular biology assays, and laboratory safety/IACUC compliance. Enjoys the outdoors of Acadia National Park and beyond, time with family, and forays into home building.
Steven Munger, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor

Uses a systems genetics approach and advanced computational methods to study development and complex disease in advanced mouse populations.
Alex Stanton

Ph.D. Student

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Selected Publications

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