Professor Julie Ahringer

Biography

Research Interests

How is chromatin structure regulated to direct correct gene expression programmes?

Animal development is an extraordinary process during which a single-celled totipotent zygote produces a myriad of different tissues and cell types. Differential control of chromatin structure establishes the gene expression programmes that drive cellular identity. Deciphering this control is necessary for understanding how the genome directs development and the diseases that result from chromatin dysregulation.

We study how cell-type specific gene expression and chromatin organisation are achieved using the simple C. elegans model, focussing on controls and interactions at regulatory elements, how euchromatin and heterochromatin are formed, and the regulation of 3D nuclear organisation. Taking advantage of the experimental amenability and defined lineage of C. elegans, we apply high-throughput genomics, super-resolution microscopy, single-cell analyses, and computational approaches to understand core mechanisms of gene expression regulation in development.

Research Group Links

https://www.gen.cam.ac.uk/research-groups/research-groups/ahringer

http://www2.gurdon.cam.ac.uk/~ahringerlab/