UM researcher in statistics is advancing our understanding of diseases caused by microbiome changes
When we think about how statisticians contribute to our society, their work on genetics and diseases might not be the first thing that comes to mind. However, that is exactly what Kevin McGregor, assistant professor at the Faculty of Science, is doing. McGregor’s work revolves around statistical genetics. He develops quantitative methodologies to analyse high-dimensional genetic data. His work focuses on the microbiome, a collection of microorganisms (bacteria, fungi, viruses, and more) that inhabit the human body. His recent publications advance our understanding of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBS) and ulcerative colitis.
“This is an extremely popular field of study at the moment, as changes in the composition of the intestinal microbiome have been shown to be associated with all sorts of diseases”, says McGregor.
The size and the atypical probability distribution of microbiome data are the two main challenges that scientists face in this field. McGregor’s work is novel in developing methodologies for data dimension reduction. His PhD student, Saurabh Panchasara, has developed a method that addresses this.
To learn more about McGregor’s work and his vision for the future, please visit the Faculty of Science’s YouTube channel.