My primary research interests fall in the realm of cellular and molecular biology. From work I did studying X-inactivation I am excited about the therapeutic potential of transcriptional silencing, for example the potential for silencing proto-oncogenes as a treatment for cancer. As a result I have been interested in the mechanisms by which genes are regulated. For example, how the interaction between DNA and the nucleosome is affected by post-translational modifications. Since doing work with ataxia-telangeictasia (AT) I have become interested in how gene regulation is influenced by extra-cellular signals and environmental factors. Instead of looking at the biochemical changes that occur in the DNA and associated proteins, I have become more interested in looking at the pathways that result in biochemical changes. Ultimately, I want to study the dynamic nature of our genome. DNA does not just sit dily in the nucleus, but is actively involved in the maintenance of homeostasis. I want to understand the coordinated regulation of genes at the genome level. The sequenced genome offers many avenues for new approaches to medical treatment and medical research. As a clinically trained researcher I hope to bridge the gap between DNA sequence and patient care.
| Watts, Jason A; Zhang, Chaolin; Klein-Szanto, Andres J et al. (2011) Study of FoxA pioneer factor at silent genes reveals Rfx-repressed enhancer at Cdx2 and a potential indicator of esophageal adenocarcinoma development. PLoS Genet 7:e1002277 |
| Xu, Jian; Pope, Scott D; Jazirehi, Ali R et al. (2007) Pioneer factor interactions and unmethylated CpG dinucleotides mark silent tissue-specific enhancers in embryonic stem cells. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 104:12377-82 |
