How chemical tags on histones control gene activity in cells
Molecular mechanisms of histone signaling in a chromatin relevant context
Researchers are using advanced lab imaging to learn how chemical tags on histone proteins guide gene activity in ways that matter for cancer, autoimmune, and heart conditions.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Colorado Denver NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Aurora, UNITED STATES) |
| Project ID | NIH-11136409 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project uses high-resolution nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and other lab methods to watch how small chemical tags on histone proteins are read by cellular machinery when packaged as chromatin. The team focuses on the protein pieces called reader domains and how they work together on realistic chromatin pieces rather than isolated fragments. By recreating chromatin in the lab and measuring molecular interactions, they hope to reveal mechanisms that control which genes are turned on or off. The work is basic, lab-based research aimed at revealing fundamental rules that underlie many diseases.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: This project does not enroll patients, but its findings would be most relevant to people or future trials focused on cancers, autoimmune diseases, or cardiovascular conditions.
Not a fit: People looking for a clinical treatment or immediate medical benefit should note this is lab-based research and does not provide direct patient interventions or therapies.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal new molecular targets and strategies that researchers might later use to develop treatments for cancer, autoimmune, and cardiovascular diseases.
How similar studies have performed: Prior epigenetics research has linked histone modifications to disease, but applying NMR to study reader domains on intact chromatin is a relatively new and pioneering approach.
Where this research is happening
Aurora, UNITED STATES
- University of Colorado Denver — Aurora, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Musselman, Catherine Anne — University of Colorado Denver
- Study coordinator: Musselman, Catherine Anne
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.