Chromatin, metabolism and cell fate

Program

Myeloid neoplasms

Applied Epigenetics

Belongs to

IJC Can Ruti

Contact

OVERVIEW

We focus on understanding the molecular aspects of chromatin regulation and have a long-standing interest in the study of histone variants. We want to find ways to translate knowledge about chromatin regulation into therapeutic tools for the management of diseases such as blood cancers.
 

OUR RESEARCH

We seek to bridge the gap between basic molecular research and translational research by exploring chromatin regulation, in particular the molecular biology of histone variants. We aim to exploit this knowledge for the identification of novel intervention strategies for the treatment of blood cancers. We focus on the continuum of myeloid diseases, ranging from the premalignant expansion of altered clones to chronic myelodysplastic syndromes and acute myeloid leukaemia.

 

OUR GOALS

Through our research, we aim to gain a better understanding of the epigenetic mechanisms that contribute to the development of blood cancers. By functionally mining the chromatin regulatory space, we further aim to provide new starting points by identifying novel drug targets. In this regard, our research focuses on two main lines:

1.     To mine the chromatin regulatory space to identify novel drug targets that can either help improve current treatments or intercept disease at an early asymptomatic stage.
2.     We study histones from the protein core of the nucleosome, particularly the variant macroH2A that led to two major discoveries: its major role in nuclear organization and its ability to bind metabolites through its mostly understood macrodomain, establishing a direct link between chromatin and metabolism.
 

OUR CHALLENGES

Through our research, we hope to answer the following questions:
 
1.     How do epigenetic mechanisms operate on the molecular level?
2.     How do chromatin and, in particular, histone variants contribute to cell fate transitions? 
3.     How can we exploit this knowledge for the development of novel therapeutic strategies?

Video

Selected Publications

Current Grants

Centre national de la recherche scientifique

EpiGene3Sys Moving  Epigenetics towards Systems Biology – EpiGene3Sys.

PRYGN222668BUSC

Fundación científica de la asociación española contra el cáncer

EPISTROMA Re-educación epigenética del estroma en el microambiente de la médula ósea como enfoque terapéutico en la prevención de cáncer de sangre

2021 SGR 00260

Agència de gestió d'ajuts universitaris i de recerca

Chromatin, metabolism and cell fate

PID2021-126907NB-I00

Ministerio de ciencia e innovación

NucleoSense Regulación de potenciadores de la expresión génica y detección de metabolitos por parte de variantes de histonas

953407

European commission

INTERCEPT-MDS Exploring cell-to-cell heterogeneity and exploiting epigenetic regulation for the interception of myeloid disease cells.

101108823

European commission

CHROMET Elucidating the role of macroH2A1.2 histone variant as a metabolic sensor in the epigenetic regulation of leukaemia cell fate

101126688

European commission

CarrerasPathfinders Enabling the next generation in search of blood cancer cures

101126688

European commission

CarrerasPathfinders Enabling the next generation in search of blood cancer cures

PRE2022-102083

Ministerio de ciencia e innovación

REGULACION DE POTENCIADORES DE LA EXPRESION GENICA Y DETECCION DE METABOLITOS POR PARTE DE VARIANTES DE HISTONAS

WI 5839/1-1

Deutsche forschungsgemeinschaft

Exploring epigenetic modulation in bone marrow stroma as novel therapeutic approach to prevent leukaemia

101081347

European commission

CarrerasLeaders Carreras Postdoc Program Empowering Future Leaders to Fight Blood Cancers

101108823

European commission

CHROMET Elucidating the role of macroH2A1.2 histone variant as a metabolic sensor in the epigenetic regulation of leukaemia cell fate

INVES223200DIES

Fundación científica de la asociación española contra el cáncer

A functional approach to accelerate the development of combinatorial drug therapies in blood cancers