Tag: epigenetics
Epigenetics researchers at WID examine how the epigenome — the layer of chemical information that sits on top of the genome — switches genes ‘on’ or ‘off’ and is controlled by outside factors such as lifestyle and diet. Research in this area focuses on the molecular, chemical, and physical components underlying epigenetic mechanisms and utilizes genomic, proteomic, and biochemical methods to reveal novel epigenetic information and mechanisms. We are investigating how extrinsic factors (diet, small-molecules, metabolism and environmental factors) influence the epigenome and control cellular decision and are developing new technologies to uncover and interrogate the epigenetic code written in chemical tags.
As part of WID’s Multi-Omics Hub, the Epigenetics Initiative reaches out to foster interdisciplinary collaborations with basic and translational research in epigenetics and chromatin function.
Zhong Epigenetic Regulation Lab
Working to understand the fundamental mechanisms of chromatin-based gene regulation. The lab studies how various chromatin factors are recruited to chromatin to “read” and ‘translate” epigenetic information into differential gene expression patterns under normal growth and development as well as stress conditions.
Sridharan Lab
The main scientific focus of the lab is in defining how the epigenome controls cell identity. We want to know how non-genetic information controls functional specialization of a cell and use this knowledge to direct efficient conversion of desired cell types with the ultimate goal of improving stem cell based therapy.
Denu Lab
Investigating the mechanism and biological function of reversible protein modifications involved in modulating signal transduction, chromatin dynamics, and gene activation and addressing the “Histone Code” hypothesis by beginning to understand histone modification signaling code and its mechanisms and regulation.
Coral Wille
Epigenetic barriers of reprogramming somatic cells to induced pluripotent stem cells
Xuehua Zhong
Associate Professor
Epigenetic regulation of plant traits and environmental adaptation.
John Denu
Professor, Multi-Omics Leader
Epigenetic chromatin changes that regulate cell signaling and metabolism
Multi-Omics Hub
The Multi-Omics Hub will focus on the use of big data about the genes, microorganisms, and metabolites to understand biological systems. WID’s expertise makes it an ideal home for the Epigenetics Initiative for the large campus community that studies the epigenome, and as such WID will organize meetings, seminars, mutli-PI …
The “Icing” on the DNA
Xuehua Zhong recently received an outstanding investigator award from NIH via the Maximizing Investigators’ Research Award (MIRA) mechanism to support her research. She talked about how she uses plants to study epigenetics in an interview with Grow magazine.
Connecting the Dots: a New Method to Understand Cell Type Transitions
Wisconsin Institute for Discovery (WID) researchers Rupa Sridharan and Sushmita Roy are combining their expertise in regenerative biology and computational biology to better understand how cells transition from one type to another through gene regulation.
Rupa Sridharan
Associate Professor
Epigenetic control of cell identity in pluripotency, development and disease
Gut bugs affect DNA expression
The podcast “Is DNA the Basis for all Life in the Universe?” produced by The Naked Scientists, an affiliate of the BBC at Cambridge University features John Denu speaking of his recent findings on how the gut microbiome affects DNA expression.
Deciphering Gene Regulatory Networks
Systems Biology researcher Sushmita Roy is leading an effort putting computational methods to work characterizing the gene regulatory networks responsible for cell differentiation.
UW-Madison Researchers Study Plant Aging To Improve Yields
Xuehua Zhong speaks to Hope Kirwan of Wisconsin Public Radio about leaf senescence.
Gut’s Microbial Community Shown to Influence Host Gene Expression
The upshot of the study from researchers in the Epigenetics theme at WID is another indictment of the so-called Western diet, high in saturated fats, sugar, and red meat.
Aging Leaves: How Epigenetic Regulation Gives Rise to the Signature Colors of Fall
Xuehua Zhong describes an epigenetic mechanism behind plant aging for the first time in a ground-breaking new paper in eLife.
Epigenetics Researcher Named Pew Scholar in Biomedical Sciences
WID Principal Investigator Peter Lewis honored for work on modifying histones to treat cancer.
Gene Regulatory Mutation Linked to Rare Childhood Cancer
Epigenetics researcher Peter Lewis has linked a histone mutation to a rare pediatric bone cancer, an important step in understanding and treating more common cancers.
Mass Spectrometry Brings Epigenetics into Focus at UW
The Epigenetics theme at WID is putting mass spectrometry to use in new ways with specialized workflows designed to uncover the mysteries of chromatin.
Epigenetics Research at UW-Madison Ready for the Next Step
John Denu, Epigenetics Theme leader, keeps UW-Madison on top of research in epigenetics.
Peter Lewis Explores the Epigenetic Pathways of Disease
Short circuiting tumors via Epigenetics drives Lewis Lab’s research.