Shaping transient transcriptional responses

Cell signalling often results in transient transcriptional responses in which genes are initially activated before being turned off again and reset in readiness to respond to the next wave of signal. This type of transcriptional response is associated with many biological processes where timing is essential, such as cell cycle regulation, differentiation, development, neuronal cell activation and immune responses. We know a lot about the activation phases but very little about the 'off' phases. Professor Sharrocks will redress this balance by studying the mechanisms by which transcription is terminated and held in a refractory state, and how the transcriptional machinery is then reset from this refractory state so that it is ready to be reactivated.