Jeffrey Blanchard

Assistant Professor

Phone: 413-577-2130
Fax: 413-545-1578
Email: blanchard@microbio.umass.edu
Mailing address

Ph.D.: Botany, University of Georgia

Lab Group Home Page

Microbial Systems Biology; Genome Evolution; Bioinformatics;

Building genome-based models of microorganims.

A single microorganism is itself a complex system of thousands of interacting genes and their products. Using genome-based technologies we are able to measure changes in the DNA sequences and gene expression levels of all of these parts as they change in response to environmental cues and as they evolve over time. We then integrate this data into genetic and physiological models.

Developing new computational approaches.

Many of our projects require the development of new computational approaches and software in order to more effectively use genomic sequence and expression data. We have developed or are developing methods for comparative genomics (Genome Flux Analysis), microarray expression data (Biological Relationship Analysis), environmental shotgun sequence data and tiling microarrays.

Applying our expertise to solving current problems.

A major challenge of our time is making sustainable biofuels. Our research in this area is identifying targets and approaches for engineering microbes to more efficiently convert plant biomass to ethanol. We are also working on human health problems, including stopping oxidative damage that is as a major cause of aging and age-related diseases, such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's.

Selected Publications

Conlon EM, Alpargu G, Blanchard JL (2006) Comparative genomics approaches for identifying genetic regulatory networks. Chance. 19:45-48.

Blanchard JL (2004) Bioinformatics and Systems Biology, rapidly evolving tools for interpreting plant response to global change. Field Crops Research. 90:117-131.

De Visser AJM, Hermisson J, Wagner, GP, Ancel LW, Bagheri-Chaichian H, Blanchard JL, Chao L, Cheverud JM, Elena SF, Fontana W, Gibson G, Hansen TF, Krakauer D, Lewontin RC, Ofria C, Rice SH, von Dassow G, Wagner A, Whitlock MC (2003) Perspective: Evolution and detection of genetic robustness. Evolution. 57:1959-1972.

Kuffner RM, Gonzales M, Steadman P, Wlodek DK, Jankowitz RJ, Boinoff JR, Montoya AL, Peterson TF, Bulmore DL, Blanchard JL (2002) PathDB. Nucleic Acids Research Database Issue.

Blanchard JL, Lynch M (2000) Why do organellar genes end up in the nucleus? Trends in Genetics. 16 :315-320.

De Visser AJM, Zeyl CW, Gerrish PJ, Blanchard JL, Lenski RE (1999) Diminishing returns from mutation supply rate in asexual populations. Science. 283 :404-406.

Lynch M, Blanchard JL, Houle D, Kibota T, Schultz S, Vassileva L, Willis J (1999) Spontaneous deleterious mutation. Evolution. 53 :645-663.

Department of Microbiology
203 Morrill Science Center IVN
University of Massachusetts
639 North Pleasant Street
Amherst, MA 01003

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