The Waters lab focuses on better understanding the epigenetic regulation of transcription in diverse vertebrate representatives, specifically focussing on sex chromosomes. The ultimate goal is to understand how complex epigenetic silencing mechanisms evolved. We use eutherian, marsupial, monotreme and bird/reptile models. Representatives from these groups each have different (sometimes weird and wonderful) sex determining mechanisms and sex chromosome systems.

We examine X chromosome inactivation in wallabies and Tasmanian devils. We have particular interest in dosage compensation of the strange sex chromosomes of platypus, which have 5 X chromosomes and 5 Y chromosomes! We also study the Australian central bearded dragon, which are unusual in that they have both genetic and environmental sex determination.