Gene regulation is fundamental to the proper functioning of a cell, and many cancers can be traced to abnormal gene regulation. Our goal is to understand how genes are regulated by combining genetic, biochemical and structural descriptions. Our expectation is that such information will contribute to the development of future therapeutic agents against cancer and other human diseases.
We combine biochemical and structural approaches, including cryoelectron microscopy and X-ray crystallography, in our studies of chromatin enzymes. The questions we are studying include:
- how chromatin enzymes and transcription factors recognize nucleosomes and,
- how gene activity is regulated on a chromatin template.
We have developed methods and reagents to reconstitute recombinant multicomponent complexes for our gene regulation research. We have also developed methods to prepare commonly used reagents such as DNA ladders and protein ladders simply and inexpensively.
News from our lab:
| April 2023 | Our paper describing the structure of the SIRT6 histone acetylase/nucleosome complex is published in Science Advances (press release). |
| April 2023 | Our paper describing the molecular mechanism for the pioneering activity of the Cbf1 yeast transcription factor is published in Molecular Cell (press release). |
| August 2021 | Our paper describing the Penn State Protein Ladder System is published in Scientific Reports. Read the news release about this undergraduate driven project. |
| October 2020 | Song Tan named holder of the Verne M. Willaman Chair in Molecular Biology |
| June 2020 | Our paper describing the structure of the LSD1 histone demethylase in complex with the corepressor protein CoREST and the nucleosome is published in Molecular Cell (press release) |
| October 2019 | Congratulations to Ryan Santilli and Joey Shibata on their 1st Place in their group in the Biochemistry-Molecular division of the 22nd UMBC Undergraduate Research Symposium! |
| April 2019 | Congratulations to Ryan Santilli, Joey Shibata and Jack Williamson on their University Fellowships and Phi Kappa Phi Peter T. Luckie Award for Outstanding Research by a Junior at the 2019 Penn State Undergraduate Exhibition! |
| April 2018 | Congratulations to Rosalie Sowers on her Goldwater Scholarship! |
| July 2017 | Congratulations to alumnus Rob McGinty on his Pew Scholarship and Searle Scholarship! |
| May 2017 | Our paper describing plasmids to prepare DNA ladders inexpensively is published in Scientific Reports. Read the news release and about the undergraduate researchers. |
| April 2015 | Song Tan awarded the Penn State Faculty Scholar Medal |
| March 2015 | Congratulations to Rob McGinty on his Dale F. Frey Award for Breakthrough Scientists! |
| November 2014 | Ryan Henrici is awarded a Marshall Scholarship for graduate studies in the U.K.! |
| October 2014 | Our paper describing the structure of the PRC1 ubiquitylation module/nucleosome complex is published in Nature (News & Views, press release). |
| October 2014 | Song Tan awarded the Eberly College of Science C.I. Noll Award for Excellence in Teaching |
| April 2014 | Congratulations to Brian Geary ('01) on his Penn State Alumni Achievement Award! |
| March 2014 | March 2014: Congratulations to Ryan Henrici on being named a Goldwater Scholar! |
| May 2012 | Congratulations to undergrads Josh McAnulty and Zach Hostetler on their graduation, and a special congratulations to Zach on graduating as Student Marshal of the Eberly College of Science! |
| April 2012 | Congratulations to Heather Agnew ('03) on her Penn State Alumni Achievement Award! |
| Jan 2012 | Congratulations to Rob McGinty on his Damon Runyon Fellowship Award from the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation! |
| Jan 2011 | Video introduction to our research (YouTube) |
| Nov 2009 | We've moved to our new research space in the Center for Eukaryotic Gene Regulation on the 4th floor of North Frear Lab |