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

We are interested in identifying the DNA sequences, chromatin proteins and RNA species which contribute to nuclear organization.  To this end, we are using unbiased genome-wide molecular methods such as HiC to describe the higher order organization of the nucleus in mammalian stem cells. We focus our current efforts on cohesin proteins.  The evolutionarily conserved cohesin complex has fundamental roles in chromosome biology. These include sister chromatid cohesion, post-replicative DNA repair and the control of transcription.  Specifically, we aim to address the mechanisms used by cohesin proteins to mediate their effects on gene expression.  It is increasingly clear that cohesin proteins act as key players in mediating chromatin interactions between distal cis-regulatory elements that are essential for appropriate gene expression. We use mammalian post-mitotic cells derived from the neural lineage to investigate genome-wide cohesin-based chromatin organization and gene expression under conditions where cohesins are not essential for cell division.

People involved:

• Dr. Wen-Ching Chan, Postdoctoral Scientist
• Dr. Sevil Sofueva, Postdoctoral Scientist