Grant: Catalyst Grant - CEEHRC Epigenetics, Environment & Health

Epigenetics refers to a variety of processes that alter gene expression without changes in DNA sequence. Key players in epigenetic control are chemical modifications to DNA, histone and non-histone chromosomal proteins which establish a complex regulatory network which controls genome function. Our interest is with the chemical modifications of histones which have roles in deciding which genes are turned off or on. Changes of the levels of these chemical modifications can provide information about a disease (for example, how advanced or life-threatening the disease is). The research done in this project will develop new methods to measure chemically modified histones in normal and diseased cells and to determine the chromosomal location of modified histones in single cells. These tools will allow advancement in our knowledge towards using changes in chemically modified histones in the diagnosis and treatment of disease.