How does basal chromatic structure predict cytokine gene responses?

为了识别外来病原体并将其从体内根除，免疫细胞需要快速启动编码细胞间通讯因子的基因，并驱动免疫反应。这些基因的不正确表达会导致免疫性疾病，如哮喘、关节炎和白血病。该项目的目的是研究免疫基因的DNA环境如何控制它们的开启和关闭能力，以及改变这种环境如何导致不正确的基因表达。

To recognise foreign pathogens and eradicate them from the body, immune cells need to quickly switch on genes encoding factors which communicate between cells and drive the immune response. Incorrect expression of these genes contributes to immune diseases such as asthma, arthritis and leukaemia. The aim of this project is to study how the DNA environment of immune genes controls their ability to be switched on and off, and how altering this environment leads to incorrect gene expression.