Developmental Molecular Mechanisms

BIOGRAPHY

ACADEMIC POSITION:
2006-present Group leader at Institute of Molecular Biotechnology, Vienna, Austria

EDUCATION:
• 1985-1989 University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK, BSc honours degree in Molecular Biology with one year in France
• 1987-1988 Université d'Aix-Marseille, Marseille, France, exchange year. Funded by EU Erasmus scholarship
• 1992-1997 PhD in the laboratory of Francis Stewart, EMBL, Heidelberg, Germany. Funded by EMBL Predoctoral fellowship. Thesis Title: Biochemical analysis of the Site-Specific Recombinases of Yeasts and of Bacteriophage P1. Kinetic analysis and mathematical modelling of recombination pathway
• 1998 Training period in the laboratory of Stephen Cohen, EMBL, Heidelberg, Germany. Funded by EMBL Postdoctoral fellowship
• 1998 Post doc in the laboratory of Francis Stewart, EMBL, Heidelberg, Germany. Funded by EMBL Postdoctoral fellowship. Mathematical and experimental analysis of DNA looping in vitro and in vivo
• 1998-2000 Post Doc in the laboratory of Jean-Maurice Dura, Institut de Génétique Humaine, Montpellier, France. Funded by EU Marie Curie fellowship. Epigenetic regulation by Polycomb and Trithorax group proteins in Drosophila
• 2001-2005 Post Doc in the laboratory of Renato Paro, ZMBH, University of Heidelberg, Germany. Funded by EU Research Training Network. Epigenetic regulation by Polycomb and Trithorax group proteins in Drosophila. Bioinformatic prediction of Polycomb Response Elements

RESEARCH INTERESTS:
How do different cell types remember their identities over many cell generations? Part of the answer lies in the Polycomb and Trithorax groups of proteins. The Polycomb (PcG) and Trithorax (TrxG) groups of proteins work antagonistically on the same target genes, to maintain repressed (PcG) or active (TrxG) transcription states. We use a combination of quantitative live imaging, mathematical modelling, computational approaches and molecular and developmental biology to understand the interaction of the Polycomb and Trithorax proteins with their chromatin targets. We aim to unravel this fascinating epigenetic gene regulatory system in terms of the design, function and dynamic behaviour of its components. Our goal is to understand how a system whose components are in constant flux can ensure both stability and flexibility of gene expression states.