Erasmus MC, Cell Biology

Our goal

Genes are like instruction books in our bodies. They work with friends called regulatory elements. The way genes and friends interact depends on how the chromatin fiber is folded. Cohesin helps hold the chromatin together during cell divisions and promotes long-distance talks between different parts of the DNA. CTCF is like a traffic police, organizing the chromatin and keeping some parts separate. Scientists study this to understand how our genes work. They use special tools to see how genes and friends interact on the chromatin fiber. They want to know how genes make us unique. It's like solving a big puzzle!

We're also studying how changes in cohesin can cause problems in the body. Some mutations in cohesin and its regulators are linked to developmental syndromes like Cornelia de Lange Syndrome and Roberts SC phocomelia syndrome. These syndromes affect how the body develops. We're working with other research groups in Germany and France to learn more about these syndromes through the Target-CdLS network."