Brad Bernstein

Dr. Bernstein is a Professor of Pathology and Director of the Epigenomics Program at the Broad Institute. Bernstein’s research focuses on epigenetic gene regulation. His lab studies how gene activity is controlled by noncoding regulatory elements called ‘enhancers’, and by the way the genes are packaged into chromatin. He is a leader of the NIH’s ENCODE project that is mapping the locations and functions of all noncoding elements in the human genome. His work is notable for the identification of specialized chromatin structures that underlie stem cell pluripotency, enhancers associated with autoimmunity and other diseases, and specific epigenetic aberrations that lead to cancer.

Bernstein received his B.S. from Yale University and his M.D. and Ph.D. from the University of Washington, before completing a residency in clinical pathology and postdoctoral research at Harvard University. Honors include an Early Career Scientist Award from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, a Career Award in the Biomedical Sciences from the Burroughs Wellcome Fund, the NIH Director’s Pioneer Award, an American Cancer Society Professorship and the Paul Marks Prize for Cancer Research.

Bernstein is a founder and advisor for Fulcrum Therapeutics, which develops therapies to alter the activities of disease-causing genes, and HiFiBio Inc, a therapeutic antibody discovery company. He also serves on the Scientific Advisory Board for Cell Signaling Technologies.