Andrew Hillhouse, PhD

Biography

Hillhouse's research interests are centered on the complexity of intestinal health and the interplay between genetic polymorphisms, the immune system and intestinal microbiota that interact to cause intestinal disease with a focus on inflammatory bowel disease and colorectal cancer. The inflammatory bowel diseases are complex with an etiology that requires a combination of genetic, immunological, microbial and environmental contributions in disease development. A major part of his graduate work sought to identify genetic loci associated with susceptibility to a mouse model of inflammatory bowel disease. In carrying out this research, he became interested in how inflammation can affect cancer development. His current work focuses on identifying genetic loci responsible for disease development in a mouse model of inflammation-associated colon cancer.
As the associate director of the Texas A&M Institute for Genome Sciences and Society (TIGSS) Molecular Genomics Workspace, he has developed a resource for campus investigators to assist in genomics-based projects. Over the last five years, the workspace has become an invaluable source of information, equipment and expertise for molecular biology techniques and practices from sample processing and preparation to next-generation sequencing and analysis. His goals moving forward are to continue the experimental support they provide, as well as increase their collaborations with campus investigators.