November 5, 2001 New Faculty Todd Lowe Assistant Professor of Computer Engineering Photo: UCSC Photo Services Todd Lowe uses both computational and experimental approaches to investigate the biology of organisms for which complete genome sequences are available. His computational work includes developing methods to search genome sequences for elusive "non-coding RNA genes," which are invisible to standard gene-detection programs. His experimental work involves research on various species of Archaea, a bacteria-like life form found in extreme environments such as hot springs and deep-sea thermal vents. He is using DNA microarrays ("genome chips") to predict functional roles for unstudied genes, and is developing tools for analyzing the complex data produced by microarray experiments. Lowe received his B.A. in biology, with a concentration in computer science, from Williams College and his Ph.D. in molecular genetics from Washington University in St. Louis. Prior to joining the UCSC faculty, he was a postdoctoral researcher at Stanford University. Lowe will join the planned Department of Biomolecular Engineering once it is established. Return to Front Page