The Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania
Department of Cell and Developmental Biology; Biology; Genetics
9-125 Smilow Center for Translational Research
3400 Civic Center Blvd
Philadelphia, PA 19104-6059
Office: 215-746-3106
Lab: 215-746-8223
bergers@pennmedicine.upenn.edu
https://pikprofessors.upenn.edu
Our laboratory studies epigenetic regulation in a variety of model systems (S. cerevisiae, mouse, human cells, and eusocial insects), focusing on chromatin mechanisms underlying aging, gametogenesis, cancer (p53 regulation), and animal behavior
Identification of transcriptional adaptors/coactivators Gcn5/Ada2/Ada3 and discovery of novel histone modifications and mechanisms in transcription. We discovered the first transcriptional adaptors, which we showed associate with DNA binding activators. This was groundbreaking as a new model for transcriptional activation, and set the stage for understanding how histone enzymatic modifiers are recruited to genes. Our work was the first to reveal the importance of adaptor Gcn5 acetylation activity in transcriptional activation, and helped to unify understanding of transcription and chromatin regulation. We discovered numerous novel histone modifications, histone modification cross-talk, and sequential histone modifications in transcription, including histone phosphorylation/acetylation, ubiquitylation/deubiquitylation.
Discovery of tumor suppressor p53 post-translational modifications and their mechanisms including activating p53 acetylation, repressive p53 methylation, and novel chromatin pathways in p53-mediated transcriptional activation. Our work revealed new enzyme modifiers of p53, including acetylation and methylation, and their functions in regulating p53 activity. In particular, we discovered that p53 methylation is generally repressive to its function. These findings spurred broad efforts in discovery of transcription factor modifications. Recently, we discovered novel pathways used by wild type and mutant p53 in regulating chromatin structure/function.
Discovery of chromatin mechanisms controlling aging and senescence in yeast, worm and mammalian cells. Our work has uncovered key chromatin changes that are involved in aging and cellular senescence. Our findings indicate potential epigenetic therapeutics to ameliorate age-associated disease.
Discovery of chromatin mechanisms controlling gametogenesis in yeast and mammals. We have investigated chromatin mechanisms governing the profound restructuring and compaction of chromatin during gametogenesis (sporulation in yeast and spermatogenesis in mammals). Our work has revealed novel mechanisms and chromatin enzymes, and has showed that certain chromatin changes are conserved from yeast to mouse.
Demonstration of chromatin mechanisms controlling organismal behavior – ant eusociality. We have pioneered investigation of eusocial ant caste-specific behavior as organismal-level chromatin regulation. Our results indicate a crucial role of histone modifications in altering brain function to dictate behavior.
FIRST NAME: | LAST NAME: | TITLE: | EMAIL: |
---|---|---|---|
Shelley | Berger | PI | bergers@pennmedicine.upenn.edu |
Sophia | Castro-Anderson | Administrator | andes@pennmedicine.upenn.edu |
Greg | Donahue | Computational Biologist | gdonahue@pennmedicine.upenn.edu |
Desi | Alexander | Graduate student | dalexan@pennmedicine.upenn.edu |
Balint | Kacsoh | Post Doc | Balint.Kacsoh@pennmedicine.upenn.edu |
Sierra | McDonald | Graduate student | sierramc@pennmedicine.upenn.edu |
Mariel | Mendoza | Graduate student | marielgr@pennmedicine.upenn.edu |
Tanya | Corman | Post Doc | corman@pennmedicine.upenn.edu |
Michael | Gilbert | Graduate student | Michael.Gilbert@pennmedicine.upenn.edu |
Liyang | Ju | Graduate student | lyju@sas.upenn.edu |
Kate | Alexander | Post doc researcher | kaalexa@pennmedicine.upenn.edu |
Gabor | Egeravari | Post doc researcher | egervari@pennmedicine.upenn.edu |
Karl | Glastad | Post doc researcher | kglastad@pennmedicine.upenn.edu |
Lacey | Luense | Post doc researcher | lluense@pennmedicine.upenn.edu |
Charly | Good | Post doc researcher | crgood@pennmedicine.upenn.edu |
Lu | Wang | Post doc researcher | luwang2@pennmedicine.upenn.edu |
Zhen | Zhang | Post doc researcher | zzhe@pennmedicine.upenn.edu |
Raffaella | Nativio | Research Associate | nativior@pennmedicine.upenn.edu |
Parisa | Samareh | Graduate student | Parisa.Samareh@pennmedicine.upenn.edu |
Cristina | Brady | Research Specialist | cbrady@pennmedicine.upenn.edu |
Paula Agudelo | Garcia | Temporary Worker | paula.agudelogarcia@pennmedicine.upenn.edu |
Sadaf | Amin | PhD Student | Sadaf.Amin@pennmedicine.upenn.edu |
Nicholas | Biddle | Undergraduate Student | nbiddle@sas.upenn.edu |
Giovanna | Cruet | Undergraduate Student | giovanna.cruet@pennmedicine.upenn.edu |
Serena | Jankovic | Undergraduate Student | svj@sas.upenn.edu |
Khoa | Tran | Undergraduate Student | khoa.Tran@pennmedicine.upenn.edu |
Hau | Huang | Research Associate | hua.huang@pennmedicine.upenn.edu |
Catherine | Li | Undergraduate Student | catli@sas.upenn.edu |
Eliza | Roessler | Graduate student | eroes@sas.upenn.edu |
Daniel | Xu | Undergraduate Student | Daniel.Xu@pennmedicine.upenn.edu |