Analysis of Epigenetic Gene Expression Networks
Research Mentors: Erin Green (Biological Sciences) and DoHwan Park (Mathematics and Statistics).
Proper states of gene expression are controlled by the coordinated activity of a diverse array of protein complexes and enzymes that act to modify and organize chromatin. A primary means of gene expression regulation occurs through the post-translational modification of histones, the core protein component of chromatin. However, our understanding of how these modifications are integrated to control gene expression remains limited. The goal of this work is to generate new insights in to the functions of one set of histone modifying enzymes, methyltransferases, through the analysis of gene expression datasets. We employ statistical methods to cluster and correlate gene expression datasets, allowing us to identify new biological pathways and gene expression networks regulated by histone methyltransferases.