QBI presents a seminar featuring Ali Shilatifard of Northwestern University 

Talk Title: "Principles of Epigenetics and Chromatin in Development and Human Disease"

Host: Nevan Krogan

Epigenetic regulation of gene expression in metazoans is central for establishing cellular diversity, and the perturbation of the machinery involved in this process results in pathological conditions. Although transcription factors are essential for implementing gene expression programs, they do not function in isolation and require the recruitment of various chromatin-modifying and remodeling machinery. A classic example of developmental gene expression through chromatin is the regulation of the balanced activities of the Polycomb group (PcG) proteins within the PRC1 and PRC2 complexes, and the Trithorax group (TrxG) proteins within the COMPASS family. Recent large-scale genome sequencing efforts of human cancer have demonstrated that PcG and COMPASS subunits are highly mutated in a large number of solid tumors and hematological malignancies. Dr. Shilatifard will discuss his laboratory’s latest biochemical and genetic studies defining the molecular properties of COMPASS and PcG families in the epigenetic regulation of gene expression, during development and during disease pathogenesis. He will also discuss their effort in taking advantage of basic molecular information in regard to epigenetic regulation of gene expression to develop targeted therapeutics for the treatment of hematological malignancies, pediatric brain cancer, and other forms of solid tumors.