Regulatory DNA encodes the gene regulatory networks that are required for virtually every process in an animal, from development to immunity. The Wunderlich lab is interested in understanding how a gene regulatory network’s tasks influence its architecture, robustness, and evolvability. To probe these questions, we use two model systems: the Drosophila early embryonic patterning system and the Drosophila innate immune response. In both systems, we pair imaging-based and genomic measurements of gene expression with statistical and physically-based computational models to explore questions of gene regulatory network function. We exploit naturally-occurring sequence variation between individuals and species as a tool to measure how changes in regulatory DNA affect transcriptional regulation.<\/p>\n