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Epigenetic reprogramming in mammalian development

Reference	BBS/E/B/0000H334
Principal Investigator / Supervisor	Professor Wolf Reik
Co-Investigators / Co-Supervisors
Institution	Babraham Institute
Department	Babraham Institute Department
Funding type	Research
Value (£)	111,250
Status	Current
Type	Institute Project
Start date	15/09/2011
End date	14/09/2018
Duration	84 months

Abstract

The human genome sequence provides insights into human diseases and how certain characteristics are inherited in families. However the main causative factors for many common human diseases remain unknown. As an organism develops, the genome is regulated such that different genes function in different tissues and organs of the body. This is brought about, at least in part, by epigenetic information in the genome in the form of chemical modifications of the DNA and of proteins that are intimately associated with DNA. This is known as the epigenome, and different organs in the body have different epigenomes (while they have the same genome) which are important for their function. Once the organs have formed, the epigenome is normally stable, but in germ cells and early embryos, the epigenome becomes reprogrammed on a large scale. We are trying to find out how the epigenome becomes reprogrammed, and if reprogramming goes wrong, whether this can result in faulty development and diseases. Understanding epigenetic reprogramming is also important in order to harness the promise of stem cells for novel therapies of human diseases.

Summary

unavailable

Committee	Not funded via Committee
Research Topics	Stem Cells
Research Priority	X – Research Priority information not available
Research Initiative	X - not in an Initiative
Funding Scheme	X – not Funded via a specific Funding Scheme

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