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

Our lab's interest focuses on basic research related to clinical problems. One project arose from ongoing work with emphasis on the function of H3 variants in programmed chromatin-reorganization during nuclear differentiation in ciliates and the evolution of H3 variants in eukaryotes. We currently focus on the characterization of the biological function of human H3.5, which probably evolved in a common ancestor of all recent hominids, and on the regulation of its testis-specific expression.

We are also interested in hepatocellular transcriptome dysregulation and chromatin signature responses upon hepatitis B virus infection and therapy. We not only aim to uncover chromatin-modifying mechanisms modulated by HBV, which are responsible for transregulation of hepatocytes. We also intend to contribute to the open problem, whether therapies lead to the restoration of regular chromatin signatures, or whether hepatocytes persist in a deregulated epigenetic 'memory' state of HBV infection, thus still carrying the risk for malignant transformation.

Team:

Senior Scientists

• Jan Postberg (PI), Dr. rer. nat.
• Andreas Jenke, Dr. med.

Postdoctoral Researcher

• Valerie Orth, Dr. rer. nat.

Technician

• Claudia Förster

PhD Candidate Students

• Andreas Klein
• Felix Bangert
• Kai Hensel, Dr. med.
• Lisa Willuhn
• Lara Nienaber
• Malte Molitor