Mark Lathrop

Professor Mark Lathrop is the Scientific Director of the McGill University Genome Centre. Dr. Lathrop’s research focuses on the application of genomics and statistical/mathematical methods to understand the molecular basis of human disease.   His work focuses on large-scale, multi-centric investigations that combine molecular approaches with statistical genetics to unravel the genetic basis of multifactorial disease, and how these can be applied to individualize approaches to disease prevention and treatment (personalised medicine).

Dr. Lathrop was a founding member of the CEPH (Centre d’Etude du Polymorphisme Humain), the organization which pioneered the international scientific collaboration on the human genome. Prior to joining McGill University, Dr. Lathrop co-founded and was the first scientific director of the Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics at the University of Oxford, an institute created to apply genomic approaches to understanding the molecular basis of human disease. Dr. Lathrop later founded the centre National de Génotypage, which he developed into the principal national infrastructure for human genetic studies in France. After joining McGill University, he helped create the Canadian Genomics Enterprise (CGEn) which is the country's major national genomic sciences initiative. He is also the scientific director of the DNA to RNA initiative at McGIll University, supported by the Canada First Research Excellence Fund (CFREF).