Markus Covert

Honors and Awards

• Robert Black Postdoctoral Fellow, Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation (2004-2006)
• First Graduate of the Bioinformatics Program, University of California, San Diego (2003)
• Ezra Taft Benson Presidential Scholar, Brigham Young University (1991-1997)

Professional Education

Postdoctoral Advisees

Nathaniel Maynard

Graduate & Fellowship Program Affiliations

• Bioengineering

Web Site Links

• Lab Website

Research Interests

Our focus is on building computational models of complex biological processes, and using these models to guide an experimental program. Such an approach leads to a relatively rapid identification and validation of previously unknown components and interactions. Biological systems of interest include metabolic, regulatory and signaling networks as well as cell-cell interactions. Current research involves the dynamic behavior of NF-kappaB, an important family of transcription factors whose aberrant activity has been linked to oncogenesis, tumor progression, and resistance to chemotherapy.

Publications

• A noisy paracrine signal determines the cellular NF-kappaB response to lipopolysaccharide. Lee TK, Denny EM, Sanghvi JC, Gaston JE, Maynard ND, Hughey JJ, Covert MW. Sci Signal. 2009; 2 (93): ra65
• Integrating metabolic, transcriptional regulatory and signal transduction models in Escherichia coli. Covert MW, Xiao N, Chen TJ, Karr JR. Bioinformatics. 2008; 24 (18): 2044-50
• Achieving stability of lipopolysaccharide-induced NF-kappaB activation. Covert MW, Leung TH, Gaston JE, Baltimore D. Science. 2005; 309 (5742): 1854-7
• Integrated regulatory and metabolic models Covert, M.W., Computational Systems Biology, Academic Press, New York. 2005
• Reconstruction of microbial transcriptional regulatory networks. Herrgård MJ, Covert MW, Palsson BØ. Curr Opin Biotechnol. 2004; 15 (1): 70-7