University of Dundee - Wellcome Trust Centre For Gene Regulation and Expression

Wellcome Trust Centre For Gene Regulation and Expression

The centre researches new approaches in the field of gene expression and chromosome biology. Previousl y part of the Dundee Biocentre and receiving significant Wellcome Trust funding from 1995 onwards, it was awarded Wellcome Trust Centre status in 2008. Professor Angus Lamond is the Centre’s Director. The Centre aims to enhance our understanding of how genes are regulated at both the single cell and whole organism level. Researchers use a wide range of advanced techniques, including live cell fluorescent imaging and mass spectrometry-based proteomics, to explore the functions of key proteins and molecular mechanisms in cell biology.

Live cell imaging and proteomic studies have allowed researchers at the Centre to gain fresh understanding of protein function and cell behaviour. The Centre is studying many aspects of the cell cycle, including the way in which chromosomes replicate and separate during cell division and how DNA damage is detected. Failure of these events can lead to major faults within a genome, potentially leading to the rise of cancerous cells. The Centre is also investigating how DNA is tightly wound and compacted so that it can fit into the nuclei of eukaryotic cells, as well as the protein-DNA complexes that are involved in this packaging. The controlled unravelling of DNA is an important step in the regulation of gene function.

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