Recently, we could win two new junior research groups associated to TRR 267 lead by two special young talents, Gabrijela Dumbovic (now Frankfurt) and Daniel Andergassen (now Munich). Both have before completed successful postdoctoral studies at Harvard (USA), investigating fundamental mechanisms of long non-coding RNA function and epigenetic control.
In the context of TRR267, Gabrijela Dumbovic will apply an innovative and interdisciplinary research program to understand the major non-coding transcriptome regulations in cardiovascular health and disease. Special emphasis will be applied towards dissecting the mechanisms and functionality of RNA localization regulation, which is key for RNA function, as well as dissecting the molecular mechanisms of multi-functional lncRNA loci. Her research is expected to have a broad impact on non-coding RNA biology in the cardiovascular system and the therapeutic potential of these findings will be closely pursued.
At the Technical University of Munich (TUM), Daniel Andergassen wants to investigate whether gender differences in heart disease could also be related to epigenetics and specifically to the inactive X chromosome in women. Here, non-coding RNAs play a central role. To do this, one must first realize that in our cells each gene is present twice and usually both the paternal and maternal gene copies are active. This has the advantage that, for example, pathological mutations inherited from the mother or father can be compensated by the other gene copy. The so-called sex chromosomes are an exception. In female cells, which unlike males have two X chromosomes, one of them is completely silenced very early in development by the long non-coding RNA Xist. Andergassen investigated the epigenetic mechanisms behind X-chromosome inactivation at Harvard University. Daniel Andergassen’s junior research group is funded by the DZHK.
