PhD in Cellular and Molecular Biology - Transcriptional Mechanisms in Madison United States | University of Wisconsin-Madison

Although the DNA genome contains all the genetic instructions necessary for an organism's survival, cells must selectively interpret this information to adapt to developmental needs and environmental changes. Consequently, a central question in cellular and molecular biology involves deciphering how genes are activated from DNA and how improper regulation can result in developmental disorders and illnesses like cancer. While gene expression is controlled at multiple stages, the initial and essential process is transcribing DNA into RNA. Scientists in the Transcriptional Mechanism Focus Group investigate various aspects of transcriptional regulation, including the biochemical workings of polymerase enzymes, how transcription factors dictate which genomic regions become active, and chromatin's role in influencing gene expression. These complex, vital questions are addressed using cutting-edge methodologies spanning biochemistry, genetics, and genomics, across diverse organisms from bacteria to fruit flies to mice.