Our Research
The key goal of our research program is to understand how macromolecular complexes act as switches to impact cellular proliferation decisions within the cell cycle and in cancer.
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To accomplish this, our plan lies at the crossroads between two main pillars of research involving
(i) experiments with purified native and recombinant protein complexes and (ii) experiments in cells.
Combining highly detailed molecular information with system-wide information is key for designing the anti-cancer drugs of the future.
MuvB is a remarkably interesting transcriptional regulator because of its peculiar dual function as a transcriptional activator and repressor. This “yingyiang” activity of MuvB is crucial for both cell cycle exit and cell proliferation
We aim to identify and analyse interactions of MuvB with associated factors and complexes with enzymatic activity, and post-translational modifications (PTMs) that accompany the MuvB switch. We study in detail how these (i) influence MuvB engagement of target chromatin and how they (ii) influence cell proliferation, cell cycle phases, and MuvB subcellular localization, and rationalize alterations found in cancer.
