Understanding the role of nuclear pores in 3D genome organisation and function    

The way that the human genome is arranged in three dimensions inside the nucleus of our cells can affect how the genome works and how genes are expressed. 

We will focus on regions of our genome that are mainly inactive which are packaged into a compact structure called heterochromatin. We will use imaging technologies and genome editing to understand the principles that determine whether heterochromatin is located at the edge of the nucleus. We will investigate a protein called TPR which we believe actively keeps heterochromatin away from channels that perforate the edge of the nucleus. These channels are important for getting molecules into and out of the nucleus. 

We expect our work to reveal fundamental organising principles of the nucleus.