Research Interests:
Research in the lab is directed towards understanding the interplay between transcription, DNA methylation and histone modifications in early development and in the germline, using the mouse as a model system.
Ongoing projects include: 1) dissecting the interplay between the histone modifications H3K36me2 and H3K27me3, deposited by NSD1 and EZH2, respectively, in early embryonic development to define the molecular basis of the related overgrowth disorders Sotos and Weaver Syndromes; 2) characterizing the “heritability” of covalent histone modifications and DNA methylation through fertilization using F1 hybrid mice and allele-specific analyses; 3) characterizing the role of H3K9 “writers” (methyltransferases) and “readers” in transcriptional regulation and 4) characterizing the role of LTR-initiated transcripts in the establishment of imprinting in oocytes.