Grant: Operating Grant

Embryonic stem cells have the potential to become any cell type in an adult organism. These cells may be used to treat diseases by replacing diseased cells with healthy (differentiated) cells generated from stem cells. Scientists believe that the potential of stem cells to become any other type of cell is accomplished by maintaining the expression of a specific set of genes and by preventing the complete inactivation of genes that need to become activated in differentiated cells. The DNA that makes up our genome is folded and organised in the 3-dimensional space of the cell nucleus. The importance of this organisation in regulating gene expression has recently been revealed for differentiated cells. The genome is organised differently in stem cells than it is in adult differentiated cells and this appears to be necessary to maintain their unique states. Although this has been seen at a basic level, little is known about the specifics of genome folding in stem cells and how this folded organisation regulates gene expression. This project will use advanced new techniques to identify the genetic elements that regulate genes in embryonic stem cells and explore how the genome is folded differently in these cells compared to differentiated cells. Through a better understanding of how embryonic stem cells maintain their potential we will be able to generate cells with the same potential which can then be used to replace diseased and damaged cells.