Daniel Janies

In 2012, Daniel Janies joined the University of North Carolina at Charlotte as The Carol Grotnes Belk Distinguished Professor of Bioinformatics and Genomics. Dr. Janies received a Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of Michigan in 1988 and a Ph.D. in Zoology from the University of Florida in 1995. Dr. Janies worked as a postdoctoral fellow (1996-99) and as a principal investigator (2000-02) at the American Museum of Natural History where he led a team that, using off-the-shelf components, built one of the world’s largest computing clusters in 2001. Dr. Janies originated the field of mapping pathogen genetic data in concert with geography and host animals. Dr. Janies was a tenured faculty member in the College of Medicine at the Ohio State University where he served as a national principal investigator in the Tree of Life program of the NSF. Dr. Janies’ recent awards include DoD sponsored work to understand the spread of pathogens. Dr. Janies is an elected Director of the board of the North Carolina Biotechnology Center. Dr. Janies has advised the Obama White House, the Pentagon, and testified to both Houses of Congress. In 2022, Janies was named Co-director for Computational Intelligence to Predict Health and Environmental Risks (CIPHER).​

Degree Institution: University of Florida
Degree: Ph.D. in Biology

CIPHER Research Center’s Goals and Objectives: In our work at the center, Computational Intelligence to Predict Health and Environmental Risks (CIPHER), we focus on genomics and computing technologies as applied to microbiology, biological and human diversity, and health. We have domestic and international partners for joint research and training in academia, medicine, industry, and government. Our projects focus on infectious diseases including emergent viruses and durable problems such as: malaria, the global spread of antibiotic resistance, food safety, and failing ecosystem health. We apply computing and empirical technologies synergistically.

The CIPHER is a university-wide center with constituents from the College of Computing and Informatics, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, College of Engineering, College of Health and Human Services, and the College of Education. Our goals are to coalesce expertise in computer science, bioinformatics, software and information systems, biological sciences, math, geography, public health, data science, education, and communications. We are always open to new collaborations within and extramural to the University.

Laboratory Website: Janies Lab

For List of Janies’ Publications: CLICK

Congressional Testimony

Janies, D. Wheeler, W. Sterns, M. Summerhays. E. 2010. Testimony of the American Museum of Natural History. In: Hearings of The United States House of Representatives Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense. Washington, DC.

Statement of Daniel Andrew Janies, Ph.D. 2007. In: Local Challenges of Global Proportions: Evaluating Roles, Preparedness for, and Surveillance of Pandemic Influenza. Edited by Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs United States Senate. Washington, DC: US Gov Printing office. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CHRG-110shrg38846/html/CHRG-110shrg38846.htm