He is interested in the interplay of the environment and the genome in early human development and his research utilizes zebrafish as a model for understanding human disease,environmental adaptation, and evolutionary biodiversity. Dr.Gitlinis the author of more than 150 papers and has received numerous professional honors including the E.Mead Johnson Award for Excellence in Research, Chancellor's Hartwell Prize from Washington University, and an NIH Merit Award. He is a fellow of the AAAS and a member of the National Academy of Medicine of the National Academies.