Project

The role of the p53 tumour suppressor protein in epigenetic maintenance of genomic integrity via transcriptional silencing and stabilisation of heterochromatic domains.

Code
3F023008
Duration
01 October 2008 → 08 June 2012
Funding
Regional and community funding: Special Research Fund, Research Foundation - Flanders (FWO)
Research disciplines
  • Medical and health sciences
    • Morphological sciences
    • Oncology
    • Morphological sciences
    • Oncology
    • Morphological sciences
    • Oncology
Keywords
epigenetics cancer histone-methyl-transferases p53
 
Project description
 

p53 is the most frequently inactivated protein in human cancers. It works as a transcription factor responsible for the majority of stress-responses which protect cells from transformation. Despite thorough studies, the p53 pathway is not fully elucidated. This project investigates p53-mediated and histone-methyl-transferase-dependent epigenetic silencing of genes and stabilisation of chromosomal heterochromatin domains, and will hopefully result in novel epigenetics-based human cancer therapies.