Jeffrey Bailey graduated from Saint Olaf College (Northfield Minnesota) in 1989   with a B.A. in Biology Suma Cum Laude.  He then pursued volunteer work as a science and math teacher  in Liberia and Botswana with the United States Peace Corps.   He returned to the United States and entered the Medical Scientist Training Program at Case Western Reserve University.  He received his PhD in Genetics characterizing and studying segmental duplications within the human genome in the laboratory of Dr. Evan Eichler.   His postdoctoral research has focused on the detection and analysis of copy number variation—particularly in relationship to segmental duplications.  After receiving his MD in 2005, he completed a residency in Clinical Pathology at Case Medical Center in Cleveland and the Cleveland City-wide Transfusion Medicine Fellowship.   In August of 2009, Dr. Bailey joined the faculty as a tenure-track assistant professor in the Program in Bioinformatics and Integrative Biology.  He continues to pursue clinical medicine in the Division of Transfusion Medicine.  He is Board certified in Clinical Pathology.

Our overall research focus involves understanding the role of segmental duplication and copy number variation in human disease susceptibility and pathogenesis. Segmental duplications, blocks of transposed genomic DNA within or between chromosomes, have long been recognized as an important substrate for the evolution of novel genes. As a result of the human genome project, they are now generally recognized as a significant source of copy number variation (variation between normal individuals) that can impact human disease. We are optimizing both experimental and computational approaches for the assessment of copy number variation within the context of several specific diseases. Utilizing technologies such as array comparative genomic hybridization and massively-parallel sequencing we hope to gain novel insight into etiologic and pathogenic mechanisms.

One focus of the lab is directed towards dissecting the role of copy number variation in the pathogenesis of malaria. Malaria has been one of the strongest selective forces affecting the human population and still accounts for an estimated two to three million deaths per year. Another focus of the lab is examining the role of copy number variation in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) or Lou Gehrig disease. We are collaborating with Dr. Robert Brown here at UMass to identify copy number variants affecting susceptibility and/or disease progression.