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

The spatial organization of the genome inside the cell nucleus is tissue-specific and has been linked to regulation of several nuclear processes including gene activation, gene silencing, genomic imprinting, gene co-regulation, genome maintenance, DNA replication, DNA repair, chromosomal translocations and X chromosome inactivation. In fact, just about any genome function has a spatial component that has been implicated in its control. We know surprisingly little about chromosome conformation and spatial organization or how they are established. However, emerging data indicate that structure and spatial organization are drivers of genome functions, which in cooperation with other features including epigenetic marks, non-coding RNAs and trans-acting factors bring about genome control. We are studying genome function by integrating various genetic and epigenetic features in the context of realistic 3D nuclear architecture.

Pepole:

• Dr Takashi Nagano
• Dr Stefan Schoenfelder
• Dr Mayra Furlan-Magaril
• Dr Louise Harewood
• Dr Biola Javierre Martinez
• Dr Jorg Morf
• Mr Luke Edelman
• Mr Andrew Dimond