Scientific topics
Keywords
Giacomo CAVALLI PhD Natural Sciences
Course and current status
1995-1998, Postdoc at the University of Heidelberg, ZMBH, Laboratory of Renato Paro
1999-2002, Junior Group Leader (ATIP), CNRS, Institut de Génétique Humaine, Montpellier, France
2003-2006, Senior Group Leader, Institut de Génétique Humaine, Montpellier
2007-2010, Head of the Genome Dynamics department, Institut de Génétique Humaine, Montpellier
2011-present, Head of the Institut de Génétique Humaine, Montpellier
Scientific summary
Fundamental chromosomal processes, such as the regulation of centromeric and telomeric function and the transcriptional regulation of many developmental genes, depend on the inheritance through cell division of nucleoprotein chromosomal structures, rather than of the DNA sequence alone. Therefore chromatin should be considered the true genetic material in eukaryotes. The goal of our research is to dissect one fascinating chromatin-mediated process: the epigenetic regulation of developmental genes by Polycomb Group and trithorax group proteins in Drosophila melanogaster.
We are particularly interested at understanding mechanisms for targeting these proteins to their target genes, and for their action in silencing and activating gene expression, respectively. Moreover, we wish to understand the crucial genes and biological functions regulated by these factors in normal development and cancer cells
