DNA-dependent processes in the cell must contend with a highly organized and compacted substrate. The human genome consists of a DNA chain of about 3 billion basepairs, measuring about 2 meters in length. The DNA has to be compacted about 100,000-fold in order to fit into the limited volume of the nucleus. This is achieved by the association of DNA with proteins, forming an organized structure termed chromatin. Besides the tight packaging of DNA, chromatin has still to allow access for DNA-binding factors regulating the DNA-dependent processes of replication, transcription, repair, recombination and DNA methylation. Mechanisms that organize chromatin structure in the cell nucleus and allow the access to this structure are the focus of our research.
Research Areas
1. Chromatin Dynamics and nucleosome positioning
- How do chromatin remodeling enzymes move histone octamers on DNA?
- Analysis of the underlying mechanisms of cell type specific nucleosome positioning
2. The targeting of non-coding RNA molecules to Chromatin by forming triple helices
- Analysis of RNA-DNA Triple helices and its function in chromatin
- Identification and functional characterisation of chromatin associated RNA
3. Chromatin dynamics and drug targeting of the malaria causing parasite Plasmodium falciparum
- Structure of Plasmodium nucleosomes and remodeling enzymes
- Drug targeting the activity of remodeling enzymes in vivo
4. Targeting the packaging of the Coronavirus RNA genome by small molecules
- Evaluating the druggability of the RNA binding Nucleocapsid protein in vitro and in viral systems
5. Molecular mechanism of Chromatin remodeling in cancer
- Effect of overexpressed chromatin remodeling enzymes on tumor metastasis
- Development of therapeutics against chromatin remodeling enzymes
6. Novel delivery strategies in Gene Therapy
- Development of non-integrative, non-cell-cytotoxic and long-lasting expression systems for Gene Therapy
7. Analysis of the Adenovirus Chromatin structure and its dynamic changes during early infection
Open Positions
