Research in the Wallrath laboratory is centered on the role of chromatin packaging, nuclear organization, pre-mRNA processing and gene expression with respect to human disease. Currently, the focus is on two types of nuclear factors. (1) Lamins are filamentous proteins that form a meshwork underlying the inner nuclear membrane. The provide structural support for the nucleus and organize the genome in the nucleus. Mutations in the LMNA gene encoding A-type lamins cause a collection of diseases known as laminopathies that includes muscular dystrophies, adipose tissue disorders, and early onset aging syndromes. (2) SNRNP200 is a pre-mRNA splicing factor with RNA helicase activity that is a core component of the spliceosome. Mutations in SNRNP200 cause Retinitis Pigmentosa, a rare vision disorder. Members of the laboratory have developed Drosophila (fruit fly) models of these diseases that recapitulate many aspects of the human diseases. These models are being used to identify pathways altered by these mutations and perform genetic and pharmacological screens to identify potential therapies.