Projects - Future plans

The two fields that we propose to analyse with computational tools - that of epigenetics and of stem cell biology - are both in periods of rapid expansion and development. We expect that there are imminent discoveries in both fields that will uncover questions ripe for computational analysis and modeling and that are within the scope and interest of this SystemsX RTD. Once we know the critical epigenetic marks regulating gene expression during stem cell commitment, it will be equally important to determine which sequence elements act in cis to target or limit the spread of the epigenetic modifications. In addition to transcription factor sites in promoters, the identification of elements that control long-range chromatin domain structure, such as the Polycomb Response Elements (PRE) or locus/global control regions (LCR/GCR), will be needed for a full understanding of how gene expression is programmed (and re-programmed) in the mammalian genome.