Northwestern Events Calendar

Feb
25
2019

Dr. Andrea Domenighetti: Epigenetics for engineers

When: Monday, February 25, 2019
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM CT

Where: Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, 10th floor Conference A-B, 355 E. Erie, Chicago, IL 60611 map it

Audience: Faculty/Staff - Student - Public - Post Docs/Docs - Graduate Students

Cost: None

Contact: Andy Domenighetti   (312) 238-1030

Group: Shirley Ryan AbilityLab Research Seminar Series

Category: Lectures & Meetings

Description:

Abstract

The DNA sequencing of the human genome and the genomes of many model organisms has generated considerable excitement within the biomedical community and the general public. These genetic “blueprints” that exhibit the well-accepted rules of Mendelian inheritance are now readily available for close inspection and editing (e.g. CRISPR-CAS), opening the door to improved understanding of human biology and to new cures for diseases. However, many biological and fundamental questions still remain. For example, how does normal tissue development proceed, given that every cell of an organism contains the same genetic blueprint, yet may follow a different path of development, proliferation or differentiation? Also, mistakes made in the above processes can lead to the generation of pathologic states such as cancer or tissue remodeling. Are all these mistakes encoded in “faulty” inherited genetic blueprints, or are there other layers of non-Mendelian regulatory information that are not being properly “read” and “decoded”? In humans, the genetic information (DNA) is composed of ~3x109 bases, abbreviated by the four letters A, T, C, G, giving rise to a well-defined genetic code (the genes). In humans, this genetic code is organized into two inherited sets of 23 chromosomes containing ~25’000 different genes. These genes instruct the development of a complete human being. However, what dictates when different sets of genes are read (or not read), and in what order, remains far from clear. The “epigenetic code” provides the genetic information on the chromosomes with an organizing and indexing principle that collectively establishes and propagates different patterns of gene expression and silencing. In this presentation, I will explain basic concepts of DNA organization and epigenetic regulation, and we will discuss how epigenetic control may solve some long-standing questions, such as cellular identity, stem cell plasticity, regeneration, disease development and therapy outcomes.

Speaker Info

As a principal investigator (PI) at the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab (SRAlab), Andy Domenighetti aims to identify new mechanisms relating to muscle impairment and muscle stem cell dysfunction, as well as genetic and epigenetic biomarkers affecting therapeutics or disease outcomes in patients with neurological conditions. Before joining the SRAlab and the Department of PM&R at Northwestern University in 2015, Andy spent 15+ years training and working in leading academic Institutes around the world, including the University of California in San Diego (UCSD), the University of Lausanne (Switzerland) and the University of Melbourne (Australia). During these years, his scientific work and interests focused on creating or using animal models, tissue culture, electrophysiology, video imaging, genomics, molecular biology and cloning to investigate molecular and cellular mechanisms associated with striated muscle (cardiac and skeletal) dysfunction. Andy Domenighetti received his Diploma degree in Biology from the University of Geneva (Switzerland), and his PhD degree from the Department of Physiology at the University of Melbourne (Australia).

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