diff --git a/client/src/app/core/services/http.service.ts b/client/src/app/core/services/http.service.ts
index cdc619d7..496bbd69 100644
--- a/client/src/app/core/services/http.service.ts
+++ b/client/src/app/core/services/http.service.ts
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ export abstract class HttpService {
   protected _makeRequest<T>(
     serverID: string,
     requestType: string,
-    body: any,
+    body: any = {},
     makeUrl = ((url: string) => url),
   ): Observable<T> {
     const args = {serverID, requestType, body};
diff --git a/client/src/app/gene/components/family-detail.component.ts b/client/src/app/gene/components/family-detail.component.ts
index 5b7c0352..ff3db99b 100644
--- a/client/src/app/gene/components/family-detail.component.ts
+++ b/client/src/app/gene/components/family-detail.component.ts
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@ import { Observable, Subject } from 'rxjs';
 import { take, takeUntil } from 'rxjs/operators';
 // App
 import { AppConfig } from '@gcv/app.config';
-import { DetailsService } from '@gcv/gene/services';
 import { Server } from '@gcv/core/models';
 import { Track } from '@gcv/gene/models';
 
@@ -29,21 +28,23 @@ import { Track } from '@gcv/gene/models';
 })
 export class FamilyDetailComponent implements OnInit, OnDestroy {
 
-  private _serverIDs = AppConfig.SERVERS.map(s => s.id);
-
   @Input() family: string;
   @Input() tracks: Observable<Track[]>;
 
+  private _serverIDs = AppConfig.SERVERS.map(s => s.id);
   private _destroy: Subject<boolean> = new Subject();
 
   genes: string[] = [];
-  geneString: string = "";
+  geneString: string = '';
   familyTreeLinks: any[] = [];
 
-  constructor(private detailsService: DetailsService) { }
-
   // Angular hooks
 
+  ngOnDestroy() {
+    this._destroy.next(true);
+    this._destroy.complete();
+  }
+
   ngOnInit() {
     this.tracks
       .pipe(
@@ -52,11 +53,6 @@ export class FamilyDetailComponent implements OnInit, OnDestroy {
       .subscribe((tracks) => this._process(tracks));
   }
 
-  ngOnDestroy() {
-    this._destroy.next(true);
-    this._destroy.complete();
-  }
-
   // private
 
   private _process(tracks) {
diff --git a/client/src/app/gene/components/gene-detail.component.ts b/client/src/app/gene/components/gene-detail.component.ts
index 23bba5df..f7ce1d0a 100644
--- a/client/src/app/gene/components/gene-detail.component.ts
+++ b/client/src/app/gene/components/gene-detail.component.ts
@@ -1,128 +1,67 @@
 // Angular
-import { Component, ComponentFactory, ComponentFactoryResolver, ComponentRef,
-  Input, OnChanges, OnDestroy, OnInit, SimpleChanges, ViewContainerRef, ViewChild } from '@angular/core';
+import { Component,
+  Input, OnDestroy, OnInit } from '@angular/core';
 import { Subject } from 'rxjs';
-import { takeUntil } from 'rxjs/operators';
+import { take, takeUntil } from 'rxjs/operators';
 // App
-import { AlertComponent } from '@gcv/core/components';
 import { AppConfig } from '@gcv/app.config';
 import { Server } from '@gcv/core/models';
-import { Alert, Gene } from '@gcv/gene/models';
-import { DetailsService } from '@gcv/gene/services';
+import { GeneService } from '@gcv/gene/services';
 
 @Component({
   selector: 'gene-detail',
-  styles: [`
-    #alerts {
-      position: absolute;
-      left: 0;
-      right: 0;
-    }
-  `],
+  styles: [ '' ],
   template: `
-    <div id="alerts">
-      <ng-container #alerts></ng-container>
-    </div>
-    <h4>{{gene.name}}</h4>
-    <p *ngIf="familyTreeLink !== undefined">Family: <a href="{{familyTreeLink}}">{{gene.family}}</a></p>
-    <p><a [routerLink]="['/search', gene.source, gene.name]" queryParamsHandling="merge">Search for similar contexts</a></p>
+    <h4>{{ gene }}</h4>
+    <p *ngIf="familyTreeLink !== undefined">Family: <a href="{{ familyTreeLink }}">{{ family }}</a></p>
+    <p><a [routerLink]="['/search', source, name]" queryParamsHandling="merge">Search for similar contexts</a></p>
     <ul>
       <li *ngFor="let link of links">
-        <a href="{{link.href}}">{{link.text}}</a>
+        <a href="{{ link.href }}">{{ link.text }}</a>
       </li>
     </ul>
   `,
 })
 
-export class GeneDetailComponent implements OnChanges, OnDestroy, OnInit {
-  @Input() gene: Gene;
-
-  @ViewChild('alerts', {read: ViewContainerRef, static: true}) alerts: ViewContainerRef;
+export class GeneDetailComponent implements OnDestroy, OnInit {
 
-  links: any[];
-  familyTreeLink: string;
+  @Input() gene: string;
+  @Input() family: string;
+  @Input() source: string
 
   private _serverIDs = AppConfig.SERVERS.map(s => s.id);
+  private _destroy: Subject<boolean> = new Subject();
 
-  // emits when the component is destroyed
-  private destroy: Subject<boolean>;
-
-  constructor(
-    private resolver: ComponentFactoryResolver,
-    private detailsService: DetailsService
-  ) {
-    this.destroy = new Subject();
-  }
+  links: any[] = [];
+  familyTreeLink: string = '';
 
-  ngOnChanges(changes: SimpleChanges): void {
-    this.links = undefined;
-    if (this.gene !== undefined) {
-      this.links = undefined;
+  constructor(private _geneService: GeneService) { }
 
-      this.familyTreeLink = undefined;
-      const idx = this._serverIDs.indexOf(this.gene.source);
-      if (idx !== -1) {
-        const s: Server = AppConfig.SERVERS[idx];
-        if (s.hasOwnProperty('familyTreeLink')) {
-          this.familyTreeLink = s.familyTreeLink.url + this.gene.family;
-        }
-      }
-
-      this.detailsService.getGeneDetails(this.gene, (links) => {
-        this.links = links;
-      });
-    }
-  }
+  // Angular hooks
 
   ngOnDestroy(): void {
-    this.destroy.next(true);
-    this.destroy.complete();
+    this._destroy.next(true);
+    this._destroy.complete();
   }
 
   ngOnInit(): void {
-    this.detailsService.requests
-      .pipe(takeUntil(this.destroy))
-      .subscribe(([args, request]) => {
-        this._requestToAlertComponent(args.serverID, request, 'links', this.alerts);
-      });
+    const idx = this._serverIDs.indexOf(this.source);
+    if (idx !== -1) {
+      const server: Server = AppConfig.SERVERS[idx];
+      if (server.hasOwnProperty('familyTreeLink')) {
+        this.familyTreeLink = server.familyTreeLink.url + this.family;
+      }
+    }
+    this._geneService.getGeneDetails(this.gene, this.source)
+      .pipe(
+        takeUntil(this._destroy),
+        take(1))
+      .subscribe((links) => this._process(links));
   }
 
-  private _requestToAlertComponent(serverID, request, what, container) {
-    const source = AppConfig.getServer(serverID).name;
-    const factory: ComponentFactory<AlertComponent> = this.resolver.resolveComponentFactory(AlertComponent);
-    const componentRef: ComponentRef<AlertComponent> = container.createComponent(factory);
-    // EVIL: Angular doesn't have a defined method for hooking dynamic components into
-    // the Angular lifecycle so we must explicitly call ngOnChanges whenever a change
-    // occurs. Even worse, there is no hook for the Output directive, so we must
-    // shoehorn the desired functionality in!
-    componentRef.instance.close = function(componentRef) {
-      componentRef.destroy();
-    }.bind(this, componentRef);
-    componentRef.instance.float = true;
-    componentRef.instance.alert = new Alert(
-      'info',
-      'Loading ' + what + ' from \'' + source + '\'',
-      {spinner: true},
-    );
-    componentRef.instance.ngOnChanges({});
-    request
-      .pipe(takeUntil(componentRef.instance.onClose))
-      .subscribe(
-        (response) => {
-          componentRef.instance.alert = new Alert(
-            'success',
-            'Successfully loaded ' + what + ' from \'' + source + '\'',
-            {closable: true, autoClose: 3},
-          );
-          componentRef.instance.ngOnChanges({});
-        },
-        (error) => {
-          componentRef.instance.alert = new Alert(
-            'danger',
-            'Failed to load ' + what + ' from \'' + source + '\'',
-            {closable: true},
-          );
-          componentRef.instance.ngOnChanges({});
-        });
+  // private
+
+  private _process(links: any[]) {
+    this.links = links;
   }
 }
diff --git a/client/src/app/gene/components/gene.component.ts b/client/src/app/gene/components/gene.component.ts
index 78a6f621..d9984d0b 100644
--- a/client/src/app/gene/components/gene.component.ts
+++ b/client/src/app/gene/components/gene.component.ts
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import { GoldenLayoutDirective } from '@gcv/gene/directives';
 import { Track } from '@gcv/gene/models';
 import { GeneService, MicroTracksService } from '@gcv/gene/services';
 import { FamilyDetailComponent } from './family-detail.component';
+import { GeneDetailComponent } from './gene-detail.component';
 import { LegendComponent } from './legend.component';
 import { MacroComponent } from './macro.component';
 import { MicroComponent } from './micro.component';
@@ -27,6 +28,7 @@ export class GeneComponent implements AfterViewInit, OnDestroy {
   private _microLegend: Observable<{name: string, id: string}[]>;
 
   layoutComponents = [
+      {component: GeneDetailComponent, name: 'gene'},
       {component: FamilyDetailComponent, name: 'family'},
       {component: LegendComponent, name: 'legend'},
       {component: MacroComponent, name: 'macro'},
@@ -94,6 +96,17 @@ export class GeneComponent implements AfterViewInit, OnDestroy {
       });
   }
 
+  private _geneDetailConfigFactory(gene, family, source) {
+    const id = `gene:${gene}`;
+    return {
+      type: 'component',
+      componentName: 'gene',
+      id: id,
+      title: `Gene ${gene}`,
+      componentState: {inputs: {gene, family, source}}
+    };
+  }
+
   private _familyDetailConfigFactory(family) {
     const id = `family:${family}`;
     return {
@@ -160,12 +173,14 @@ export class GeneComponent implements AfterViewInit, OnDestroy {
           options
         },
         outputs: {
-          plotClick: (track) => {
+          plotClick: ({track}) => {
             const plotConfig = this._plotConfigFactory(clusterID, track);
             this.goldenLayoutDirective.stackItem(plotConfig, id);
           },
-          geneClick: (name) => {
-            console.log(name);
+          geneClick: ({gene, family, source}) => {
+            const geneConfig =
+              this._geneDetailConfigFactory(gene, family, source);
+            this.goldenLayoutDirective.stackItem(geneConfig, id);
           },
           nameClick: (track) => {
             console.log(track);
diff --git a/client/src/app/gene/components/micro.component.ts b/client/src/app/gene/components/micro.component.ts
index a8defb63..6fae286f 100644
--- a/client/src/app/gene/components/micro.component.ts
+++ b/client/src/app/gene/components/micro.component.ts
@@ -55,11 +55,11 @@ export class MicroComponent implements AfterViewInit, OnDestroy {
   // public
 
   emitPlot(track) {
-    this.plotClick.emit(track);
+    this.plotClick.emit({track});
   }
 
-  emitGene(name) {
-    this.geneClick.emit(name);
+  emitGene(gene, family, source) {
+    this.geneClick.emit({gene, family, source});
   }
 
   emitName(track) {
@@ -105,6 +105,7 @@ export class MicroComponent implements AfterViewInit, OnDestroy {
     return tracks.map((t, j) => {
       // make track
       const track = {
+          source: t.source,
           genus: t.genus,
           species: t.species,
           chromosome_name: t.name,
@@ -159,7 +160,7 @@ export class MicroComponent implements AfterViewInit, OnDestroy {
     this._destroyViewer();
     let options = {
         plotClick: (t, i) => this.emitPlot(tracks[i]),
-        geneClick: (g, t) => this.emitGene(g.name),
+        geneClick: (t, g, i) => this.emitGene(g.name, g.family, t.source),
         nameClick: (t, i) => this.emitName(tracks[i])
       };
     options = Object.assign(options, this.options);
diff --git a/client/src/app/gene/gene.module.ts b/client/src/app/gene/gene.module.ts
index c120edcd..242cc565 100644
--- a/client/src/app/gene/gene.module.ts
+++ b/client/src/app/gene/gene.module.ts
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ import { GeneRoutingModule } from '@gcv/gene/gene-routing.module';
 @NgModule({
   declarations: [...fromComponents.components, ...fromDirectives.directives],
   entryComponents: [
+    fromComponents.GeneDetailComponent,
     fromComponents.FamilyDetailComponent,
     fromComponents.LegendComponent,
     fromComponents.MacroComponent,
diff --git a/client/src/app/gene/services/details.service.ts b/client/src/app/gene/services/details.service.ts
deleted file mode 100644
index 3cb5834c..00000000
--- a/client/src/app/gene/services/details.service.ts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,29 +0,0 @@
-// Angular
-import { HttpClient } from '@angular/common/http';
-import { Injectable } from '@angular/core';
-// app
-import { Gene } from '@gcv/gene/models';
-import { HttpService } from '@gcv/core/services/http.service';
-
-@Injectable()
-export class DetailsService extends HttpService {
-
-  constructor(private _http: HttpClient) {
-    super(_http);
-  }
-
-  getGeneDetails(gene: Gene, success: (e) => void): void {
-    this._makeRequest<any>(
-      gene.source,
-      'geneLinks',
-      {},
-      (url: string) => url + gene.name + '/json',
-    )
-      .subscribe(
-        success,
-        (error) => {
-          console.log(error);
-        }
-      );
-  }
-}
diff --git a/client/src/app/gene/services/gene.service.ts b/client/src/app/gene/services/gene.service.ts
index 2be7279a..268543f2 100644
--- a/client/src/app/gene/services/gene.service.ts
+++ b/client/src/app/gene/services/gene.service.ts
@@ -36,4 +36,10 @@ export class GeneService extends HttpService {
       select(fromGene.getAlignedMicroTrackClusterGenes(id))
     );
   }
+
+  // fetches source specific details for the given gene
+  getGeneDetails(gene: string, source: string): Observable<any> {
+    const makeUrl = (url: string) => url + gene + '/json';
+    return this._makeRequest<any>(source, 'geneLinks', {}, makeUrl);
+  }
 }
diff --git a/client/src/app/gene/services/index.ts b/client/src/app/gene/services/index.ts
index 11565d3f..392fceb0 100644
--- a/client/src/app/gene/services/index.ts
+++ b/client/src/app/gene/services/index.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 import { FilterService } from './filter.service';
 import { ChromosomeService } from './chromosome.service';
-import { DetailsService } from './details.service';
 import { GeneService } from './gene.service';
 import { MicroTracksService } from './micro-tracks.service';
 import { PairwiseBlocksService} from './pairwise-blocks.service';
@@ -8,7 +7,6 @@ import { PlotsService } from './plots.service';
 
 export const services: any[] = [
   ChromosomeService,
-  DetailsService,
   FilterService,
   GeneService,
   MicroTracksService,
@@ -17,7 +15,6 @@ export const services: any[] = [
 ];
 
 export * from './chromosome.service';
-export * from './details.service';
 export * from './filter.service';
 export * from './gene.service';
 export * from './micro-tracks.service';
diff --git a/client/src/assets/js/gcv/visualization/micro.ts b/client/src/assets/js/gcv/visualization/micro.ts
index 31064ae3..e58f1f11 100644
--- a/client/src/assets/js/gcv/visualization/micro.ts
+++ b/client/src/assets/js/gcv/visualization/micro.ts
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ export class Micro extends Visualizer {
     this.options.highlight = this.options.highlight || [];
     this.options.selectiveColoring = this.options.selectiveColoring;
     this.options.nameClick = this.options.nameClick || ((c) => { /* noop */ });
-    this.options.geneClick = this.options.geneClick || ((b) => { /* noop */ });
+    this.options.geneClick = this.options.geneClick || ((t, g, i) => { /* noop */ });
     this.options.plotClick = this.options.plotClick;
     this.options.autoResize = this.options.autoResize || false;
     this.options.hoverDelay = this.options.hoverDelay || 500;
@@ -281,7 +281,7 @@ export class Micro extends Visualizer {
       .style("cursor", "pointer")
       .on("mouseover", (g) => this.setTimeout(publishGeneEvent("select", g)))
       .on("mouseout", (g) => this.clearTimeout(publishGeneEvent("deselect", g)))
-      .on("click", (g) => obj.options.geneClick(g, t))
+      .on("click", (g, i) => obj.options.geneClick(t, g, i))
       // add optional HTML attributes to gene elelements
       .addHTMLAttributes();
     // add genes to the gene groups