Grant: Operating Grant

Sequencing of the human genome revealed that nearly half of our DNA is composed of over two million mobile genetic elements that inserted into our chromosomes throughout evolutionary history. This surprising finding means that mobile elements, also termed "jumping DNA", have made major contributions to our genome. Studies have shown that such elements can cause disease by inserting into (thereby inactivating) genes and by inducing gene deletions. Mobile elements can also affect the regulation of nearby genes in a variety of ways. The goal of this research is to understand how mobile elements in human and mouse affect various genetic processes, most notably gene regulation. Gaining a better appreciation of mobile elements in the human genome and how they affect our genes will help us to understand the basis of some human genetic diseases which are due to abnormal gene regulation, such as cancer.