After my initial training in biochemistry and molecular biology, I have been interested in understanding the regulation of gene expression at multiple levels. During my PhD I worked on the biochemical characterization of topoisomerase II, the enzyme that untangles DNA loops. During my PhD and postdoctoral tenure, I became fascinated with epigenetic mechanisms of gene regulation, including the spatial organization of the nucleus and how various signaling pathways orchestrate gene expression patterns. These form the bases for my current scientific interests and various research projects.

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From yeast to man, the spatial distribution of chromatin within the nucleus is not random, rather it enables a functional organization of the genome that helps to coordinate gene expression programs during development. It has been appreciated that epigenetic mechanisms generate and maintain chromatin “imprints” in otherwise genetically identical cells. Various stimuli shape our epigenome through a cascade of signaling pathways involving a multitude of factors. What are the consequences of perturbing the spatial organization and accessibility of chromatin for an organism during development? How the information contained within a genome is differentially harnessed during cellular differentiation? What happens to chromatin 3D architecture when a cell or tissue is exposed to multiple stimuli? How does this contribute to the regulation of dynamic gene expression patterns? My team aims at addressing these fundamental open questions focusing on the SATB family chromatin organizer proteins and their interacting partners.