Gene Expression
The process of transcription of DNA to RNA is a vital first step in genetic readout. Although all cells within an organism have identical DNA, a highly orchestrated process of differential gene expression dictates that only a subset of the genetic information in each cell is "read". The molecular basis for transcriptional regulation involves DNA-protein interactions, chromatin remodeling, DNA methylation as well as mechanisms of activation and repression. Many regulatory proteins that modulate gene expression are mutated in human cancers. Furthermore, the molecular understanding of the regulatory proteins that direct gene expression offers insights into the development of new therapeutic agents for cancer treatment.
Faculty who work in this area include:
Don Ayer
Brad Cairns
Barbara Graves
David Jones
Susan Mango
Frank Fitzpatrick
Betty Leibold
Stephen Lessnick
Nadeem Moghal
