Brandon Ogbunu

Many large questions in contemporary biology involve understanding how the world we live in influences essential features of living systems. In his research, Brandon examines this context dependence across various settings, from the shape of molecular evolution to the drivers of epidemics and the intimate connection between science and culture. His goal is to develop new theories and methods to better appreciate the myriad factors that shape complex biological and social systems.

At the molecular scale, he addresses fundamental questions about the forces that shape the flow of information from genotype to phenotype. These forces include how genetic information interacts with other parcels of genetic information and with features of the environment. For example, when we aim to find a single mutation associated with a disease, we may overlook how the disease trait we are interested in (e.g., diabetes risk) might emerge from interactions between multiple mutations. This more nuanced appreciation, embodied in the concept of epistasis, can subvert simple storytelling in genetics and offer new avenues for discovery that aid efforts to treat disease and engineer biomolecules and ecosystems toward desirable outcomes. Moreover, he argues that the essential character of epistasis—the tendency for pieces of matter or information to interact in surprising ways—is a key feature of complex systems across various domains.

In the realm of epidemiology, Brandon develops theoretical frameworks to enhance our understanding of how viruses are transmitted and why infectious microbes make us ill. He builds models for disease transmitted through multiple routes, and examines the relationship between the symptoms of an infectious disease and its likelihood of transmission. Applying tools ranging from data science to evolutionary game theory, he has highlighted how specific model structures can upend our expectations of how viruses evolve, and how outbreaks take place. 

Lastly, at the social scale, Brandon explores the bidirectional relationship between the scientific process and the world in which it is embedded. To do this, he utilizes cultural phenomena as model systems to study complex phenomena. He is particularly interested in how social stress tests—such as pandemics—reveal hidden features of complex social systems, including the United States prison system. This aspect of his work underscores the broader need for scientists to engage with the world around them, both through the technical application of theory and through rigorous communication with the public.