Arunkanth Ankala
Dr. Ankala is an Assistant Professor of Human Genetics at Emory University and a Director of Molecular Genetics at Emory Genetics Laboratory. After receiving a Masters degree in Biochemistry from Bharatidasan University, India, he pursued his PhD at Mississippi State University in Molecular Biology. Later, he moved on to perform post-doctoral studies at Emory University School of Medicine in the department of Human Genetics. The primary focus of his clinical research work has been the elucidation of mechanisms underpinning the high frequency of intragenic deletions and duplications in human DMD gene causing Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. His broader research interest has been the discovery of new disease causing genes associated with different muscular dystrophies especially congenital muscular dystrophies and limb-girdle muscular dystrophies. Using next generation sequencing technologies including targeted sequence capture technologies, whole exome sequencing and transcriptome analysis he has been actively involved in new gene discovery and diagnostic tool development for muscular dystrophies.