Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis · GeneticsAlcohol Genetics Research Lab
Dongbing Lai · Indianapolis, Indiana
Research Focus
Dr. Dongbing Lai's lab focuses on understanding the genetics behind alcohol use disorder (AUD), a significant health issue affecting many people. The lab conducts studies using both human genetic data and mouse models to identify specific genes that influence alcohol sensitivity and tolerance. By exploring these genetic factors, the lab aims to uncover new prevention and treatment strategies for AUD.
alcohol use disordergenetic factorsGWASalcohol sensitivityalcohol tolerancemouse modelsgenomic architectureethanol metabolismMendelian randomizationgene expression
Research Aims
3AIM 01Identify genes associated with alcohol sensitivity and tolerance using human GWAS data.
AIM 02Validate findings through quantitative trait loci analysis in Diversity Outbred mice.
AIM 03Explore functional variants' regulatory effects through high throughput assays in brain cell lines.
Skills the Lab Values
GWAShigh throughput reporter assaysgenetic analysismouse modelsgene expression analysisquantitative trait loci (QTL)data analysisbiological assay techniquesdatabase managementbioinformatics
Output against the department
Publications239top 35% of dept.91st of 259
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations7.5kbottom 42% of dept.151st of 259
this lab
most citedleast cited
Career totals from OpenAlex, compared against labs that share a department. A department spans everything from one paper to tens of thousands, so bar heights are on a log scale — otherwise the largest lab would flatten every other bar to a line.