Award details

BBSRC DTA Studentship: Exploring the nucleus in 3D

Reference	BBS/E/B/0000L703
Principal Investigator / Supervisor	Dr Peter Fraser
Co-Investigators / Co-Supervisors
Institution	Babraham Institute
Department	Babraham Institute Department
Funding type	Research
Value (£)	123,437
Status	Completed
Type	Institute Project
Start date	01/01/2007
End date	31/12/2010
Duration	48 months

Abstract

Every human cell contains over 25,000 genes. This massive amount of genetic material must be squeezed into the cell nucleus. Since each cell uses only a fraction of its genes at any one time it packages the unused DNA into a tightly folded compact structure. As organisms develop individual cells must change their repertoire of active genes to suit new roles in the various tissues of the body. Therefore some of the stored DNA has to be unpacked or opened up so that new genes can be used while other areas containing previously used genes are compressed. This highly organised shuffling of genetic material is the focus of research in our laboratory. We are studying the human beta globin genes. These genes are unpackaged in blood cells during foetal development and activated to produce haemoglobin, which carries oxygen around the body. Our research is aimed at understanding the processes involved in the regulated expression (copying of the information into RNA) of these genes during development. The results will be vitally important in increasing our basic knowledge in the regulation of gene expression as well as provide starting points for clinical intervention in the large number of hereditary diseases involving the globin genes such as thalassemias.

Summary

unavailable

Committee	Closed Committee - Genes & Developmental Biology (GDB)
Research Topics	X – not assigned to a current Research Topic
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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