Baylor College of Medicine · GeneticsGenomic Equity Lab
Hugo J Bellen · Houston, Texas
Research Focus
Dr. Hugo J. Bellen's lab focuses on using genomic medicine to help underserved populations, particularly those unable to afford DNA testing for rare diseases. The research team combines expertise from various fields to identify and study new disease genes, utilizing advanced techniques like whole-exome sequencing and model organisms like fruit flies. The ultimate goal is to improve diagnostics and care for individuals with rare genetic disorders while also contributing to broader genomic knowledge.
genomic medicinerare diseasesDNA sequencinggenetic counselingmachine learningDrosophilacomputational genomicspublic healthunderdiagnosed populations
Research Aims
5AIM 01Recruit underserved individuals with suspected rare diseases for DNA sequencing.
AIM 02Utilize machine learning to analyze genomic data for better diagnosis.
AIM 03Study candidate disease genes using Drosophila models.
AIM 04Provide genetic counseling for families affected by rare diseases.
AIM 05Evaluate the impact of genomic testing on healthcare in underserved populations.
Skills the Lab Values
whole-exome sequencinggenetic counselingbioinformaticsDrosophila modelsmachine learning applicationsdata analysis in genomicspatient enrollmentclinical testinggene function studies
Output against the department
Publications612top 8% of dept.22nd of 259
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations48ktop 13% of dept.34th 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.