The precise and robust regulation of gene expression is a cornerstone of complex biological life. My laboratory is focused on understanding gene regulatory mechanisms in human development, disease, and evolution. We are employing a broad combination of genomic, genetic, biochemical, biophysical, single-cell, and embryological approaches in a number of cellular and organismal models to investigate functions of the non-coding parts of the genome. We seek to understand regulatory mechanisms underlying stem cell function, cellular plasticity and differentiation, address how quantitative changes in gene expression dictate human trait variation and investigate how chromatin regulatory processes are perturbed or hijacked in disease, including congenital malformations and cancer.