Chromatin dynamics and genome instability
heterochromatin, DNA damage repair, genome stability
Research aim
We aim to understand how chromatin dynamics contributes to the maintenance of genome stability and how chromatin defects can contribute to genome instability and cancer development in the long run.
About us
Genetic instability is a major hallmark of cancer and causes the cells’ genetic make up to continuously change. One major player in the manifestation of genetic instability is DNA damage, which can be caused either by endogenous (e.g. DNA replication) or exogenous insults (e.g. UV light, X-rays).
The eukaryotic nucleus is a cellular compartment that is far from homogeneous. It contains a plethora of distinct chromatin domains, which differentially regulate the functions of the underlying DNA sequences. These chromatin domains are crucial to the normal development of organisms and are each associated with specific histone modifications that regulate gene activity as well as proper packaging of the DNA. Dramatic changes in the distribution of chromatin modifications as well as mutations in histones and histone modifier proteins are associated with tumorigenesis, and are thought to play a prominent role in cancer progression.
Our research uses multi-disciplinary approaches, integrating epigenetics with cell biology and biochemistry to understand how diverse chromatin domains, as well as cancer-specific chromatin changes, shape the cellular response to DNA damage. Our research could have important implications for understanding cancer development as well as treatment in the long-term.