Chris O'Callaghan

We seek to identify new mechanisms of disease that will lead to the identification of new potential therapeutic targets and strategies to improve health.

A key focus of our work is on understanding how genetic risk factors for atherosclerotic vascular disease operate. Although multiple genetic loci have been implicated in atherosclerotic disease by genome wide association studies (GWAS), the mechanisms whereby these genetic loci influence disease are largely unknown. Most of these genetic variants are in non-coding regions of the genome and may influence gene regulation and local chromatin structure. Our work seeks to identify, at a molecular level, how these genetic variants influence the development of atherosclerosis. To do this, we employ a range of approaches, including cellular and molecular biology as well as high throughput sequencing down to the single cell level and computational biology. We also study clinical samples and clinical data. 

Using these combined approaches, we are identifying new pathways that contribute to the disease process and so new potential targets for therapeutic intervention. 

We have recently developed a new approach to the assembly of long DNA constructs that overcomes key limitations of other approaches. We are applying this technology to the development of synthetic organelle genomes and have funding from ARIA to develop synthetic chloroplast genomes which combine beneficial changes found in nature. In collaboration with colleagues Professors Steve Kelly and Francesco Licausi in the Department of Biology we will use these synthetic genomes to develop crop plants that address the challenges of climate change. 

Our group webpages and full publication listing are at https://cocallag.github.io/group/