Hormone Dependent Cancer

Since major cellular processes namely transcription, DNA repair, replication and development are dependent on histone modifications such as phosphorylation, acetylation and methylation, aberrant histone modifications may lead to various diseases including different types of cancer.

We identify novel epigenetic readers using SILAC proteomic screens followed by mass-spectrometry analyses. To assess the function of these epigenetic readers, we stably alter their expression levels in cell culture models applying gene editing and overexpression.

We use these models, on the one hand, to understand the changes in cell behavior by monitoring parameters that include but are not limited to real-time recording of proliferation, migration and apoptosis.

On the other hand, we try to understand the molecular and epigenetic mode of action of these novel epigenetic readers on a genome wide level by using next generation sequencing (ChIP-seq, RNA-seq, ATAC-seq and HiC analyses).

The in vitro and vivo relevance of the epigenetic readers are unravel in cell culture, xenograft assays, and gain or loss-of-function models in transgenic, knockout (KO) and knockin (KI) mice. Our long-term goal is to identify epigenetic reader proteins that would allow us to establish new strategies for cancer treatment.