An ambitious EC-funded research initiative on epigenetics advancing towards systems biology

We are interested in the general question of how genes are switched on and off during cell fate decisions. We investigate both single loci and perform genome-wide analyses studying the changes in gene expression as multi-potent haematopoietic stem cells undergo lineage commitment and differentiation to form mature blood cells. We have an interest in understanding all cis-acting elements including enhancers, promoters, CpG islands, silencers and chromosomal boundary elements. We are particularly interested in enhancer-promoter interactions and how these respond to changes in the transcriptional programme and a wide variety of epigenetic influences including; non-coding RNAs, DNA modification, chromatin modifications, timing of DNA replication, chromosome conformation and nuclear sub-localisation. Ultimately, our aim is to use a systems-approach to integrate all such data and develop a model for how genes are regulated in vivo from within their natural chromosomal landscapes.

Researchers associated with Epigenesys

• Prof Doug Higgs. Team Leader with interests in gene regulation and human genetic disease
• Prof Richard Gibbons. Team leader with interests in chromatin associated factors and human genetic disease
• Dr Jim Hughes. Leader in genomics.
• Dr Deborah Hay undertaking a project in enhancer-promoter interactions
• Dr Mira Kassouf undertaking a project to understand the behaviour of chromatin landscapes
• Ms Ricarda Gentsch analysing the role of DNA methylation in regulating the chromosomal landscape
• Dr Danuta Jesiorska analysing how CpG islands become methylated during development and imaging transcription