Grant: Operating Grant

The project that I have submitted is a basic research project that uses genetic mouse models to understand how epigenetic enzymes regulate the decision of muscle stem cells to maintain their status as a stem cell, or convert into a muscle cell to repair a damaged fiber. We have characterized a pair of mutations in mice where the loss of the protein function prevents the mouse's ability to regenerate its damaged muscle. Importantly, both these proteins required for muscle regeneration are epigenetic enzymes that are proposed to play a role in deciding a cell's fate. We are exploiting this mouse system to identify the mechanisms used in the cell to regulate the decision to repair the muscle or maintain the stem cell state. Furthermore we are examining whether drugs that inhibit the function of these proteins can help improve regeneration in muscular dystrophy. Thus, the knowledge gained from these studies will be important to the development of new therapies to treat muscle degeneration in aging and disease.