Research Group TIMMERS

Faculty of Medicine, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Dept. Molecular Cancer Research
Contact: Prof. Marc Timmers
E-mail: h.t.m.timmers@umcutrecht.nl
Website: http://groups.mcr.umcutrecht.nl/timmers/

General research focus: Regulation of transcription and chromatin

The research in our group focuses on the regulation of eukaryotic genes, which is exerted at the level of mRNA synthesis and chromatin structure. We are investigating transcription regulation pathways, which converge to the initiation complexes assembling at the core promoter. These pathways involve chromatin-modifying complexes responsible for methylation and acetylation of histones. We are in particular interested in the dynamic properties of these complexes and processes in embryonic stem cells and differentiated cells. The menin/MLL methylase complex represent a prime example of a chromatin and transcription regulatory complexes at the nexus between development and cancer.

In our experiments we are using a combination of state-of-the-art genomics, cell biology, proteomics and structural biology techniques. This involves DNA cloning, si/shRNA silencing, (large-scale) cell culture, live-cell microscopy, post-translational modification of chromatin, quantitative mass spectrometry, affinity purification, chromatin immunoprecipitation, mRNA profiling.

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