Gilson Lab Profile

Research Focus: Telomeric and Epigenetic Regulation

Telomeres are nucleoprotein structures found at the ends of all eukaryotic linear chromosomes. They play essential roles in the maintenance of genome integrity, in the epigenetic regulation of gene expression and in the control of cell proliferation. They specifically cap the ends of chromosomes such that they are not recognized by DNA damage checkpoints and repair systems. They are also involved in the control of gene expression and in the spatial and functional organization of chromosomes. Their structure is determined, at least in part, by the epigenetic state of the cell.