Troy Zerr

Joined Program: 2005
Previous Degrees: M.S. Computer Science, University of Wisconsin; M.S. Mathematics, University of Chicago; B.S. Mathematics, University of Washington
Nickerson Lab
troyz (at) u.washington.edu

Research:
I am interested in systematic discovery and genotyping of intermediate-scale deletion polymorphisms and other forms of copy number variation in large samples of human populations, with the goal of eventually determining correlation of CNV and phenotype. Continuing decreases in cost and increases in probe density promise to make the genome-wide SNP assay an ideal platform for discovery and initial genotyping of CNV. However, computational methods with greater specificity, sensitivity, and efficiency than those currently available are required for effective analysis of CNV in the large data sets generated by genome-wide SNP association studies and other projects. The current focus of my research is the development and application of novel computational methods for this purpose.