How the genome's 3D folding controls gene activity and chromatin
The role of genome folding in regulating gene expression and chromatin state
The project looks at how the way DNA folds in three dimensions controls which genes are turned on or off in cells, to help understand cancers and other diseases.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chapel Hill, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11247998 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient's perspective, scientists will change and remove specific proteins that help fold DNA inside cells to see how those changes alter gene activity and chemical marks on chromatin. They will use genome editing, short-term protein removal, drugs, and laboratory assays in stem cells and differentiated cells to follow how DNA loops form and break. Proteomic and genomic methods will be used to find partner proteins and measure effects on gene expression across the genome. The work is done in the lab rather than by enrolling patients, but it aims to reveal mechanisms that underlie disease-related gene control.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: This project does not enroll patients and is carried out in laboratory cell models, though people with cancer might benefit from therapies developed later based on these findings.
Not a fit: Patients should not expect direct or immediate treatment benefit from this basic laboratory research because it does not provide clinical interventions.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal new molecular targets and pathways that lead to better diagnostics or treatments for cancers driven by misregulated gene activity.
How similar studies have performed: Prior studies have shown cohesin and CTCF are important for genome folding, but the distinct roles of cohesin variants at enhancers and their causal effects on gene expression remain largely untested.
Where this research is happening
Chapel Hill, United States
- Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill — Chapel Hill, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Dowen, Jill — Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
- Study coordinator: Dowen, Jill
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.