Benton Lab | Computational Genomics & Bioinformatics

Research

The Benton Lab develops computational and statistical methods to understand how genetic variation impacts genome function, gene regulation, and disease risk. We integrate multi-omics and cross-species datasets to uncover biological mechanisms and build predictive models. We also develop open-source bioinformatics tools and workflows to support data sharing and reproducible research.

Statistical and computational genomics
Multi-omics data integration
Computational approaches for alcohol use biology
Bioinformatics tool and application development

Undergraduate Research Hub

The Benton Lab actively supports undergraduate research in bioinformatics, data science, and more! We have compiled resources for finding opportunities, preparing applications, and getting involved.

Explore Undergraduate Research Resources →

Team

Our lab includes graduate and undergraduate researchers from computer science, biology, bioinformatics, and related disciplines.

Photo Credit: Brady Harris

Mary Lauren Benton, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Computer Science

Current Students

Selected Publications

For a complete list of publications, please see Google Scholar. (Lab affiliates in bold, * denotes a trainee.)

Zhakubayev A*, Grant KA, Sattgast LH, Turner RT, Iwaniec UT, and Benton ML (2026). Ethanol consumption has minimal effects on cancellous bone architecture in femur and lumbar vertebra in two species of non-human primates. Bone, 203, 117711. [Paper]
Khanal B*, Fong C*, Tella SM*, Khadka R, Gonzales SW, Grant KA, and Benton ML (2025). Deep learning predicts non-human primate drinking category from liver histology. In Proceedings of Computational Science and Computational Intelligence (CSCI 2024), Communications in Computer and Information Science, vol. 2507. Springer, Cham. [Paper]
Benton ML, Ruderfer DM, and Capra JA (2023). Cis-regulatory landscape size, constraint, and tissue specificity associate with gene function and expression. Genome Biology and Evolution, 15(7), evad126. [Paper]
Benton ML, Abraham A, LaBella AL, et al. (2021). The influence of evolutionary history on human health and disease. Nature Reviews Genetics, 22, 269–283. [Paper]

Contact Us

We are located in the Department of Computer Science at Baylor University. For inquiries about our research or potential collaborations, please contact:

Email: marylauren_benton at baylor dot edu
Office: Hankamer H355

Prospective Students: We are always interested in motivated students with backgrounds in computer science, bioinformatics, statistics, or related fields. For undergraduate research opportunities, please check Dr. Benton's profile on Forager One. For inquiries about graduate or postdoctoral opportunities, email Dr. Benton directly with your CV and research interests.

Please note that we are not currently accepting graduate students for Fall 2026 admission.