Selection and mutation on the DNA level

What fraction of all substitutions are fixed by positive selection? What is the rate of mutation in different genomes? What sites in the genome are under negative selection? These fundamental questions are relevant to all aspects of biology, yet we do not have clear answers. We know that most things are under negative selection, positive selection is rare but nor very rare, and that the rate of mutation is small. In the past we have investigated these issues, and in the foreseeable future the efforts of our laboratory will be engaged in elucidating various aspects of selection and mutation on a genomic level. To achieve these aims, it is usually mandatory to  apply or develop  a theoretical background. Using a combination of genome-wide, evolutionary data and theory we have investigated numerous aspects of protein evolution, measured selection in synonymous sites, developed a new test of positive selection and attempted to identify disease-causing and cancer-related genes.