缅北禁地

Current Research

Epigenetic Control of Gene Expression and Genome Integrity

My laboratory studies how the modulation of chromatin is used by eukaryotic cells to regulate fundamental processes such as gene expression and genome stability.

PhD VACANCIES - we are always open to informal enquiries from prospective PhD students, whether Home/EU or non-EU. Please feel free to email me if you are interested (simon.whitehall@ncl.ac.uk).

Previous Positions

1989-1992 PhD, Gatsby Charitable Foundation Studentship, University of Sussex

During my PhD I studied bacterial transcription in Prof Ray Dixon’s laboratory. My research centred upon the role of DNA topology in control of transcription initiation from σ⁵⁴-dependent promoters.

1993-1996 HFSPO Post-Doctoral Research Fellow, University of California San Diego, La Jolla USA

During my first post-doctoral position in Dr Peter Geiduschek’s laboratory I studied the enzymology of RNA polymerase III.  I identified a backtracking activity in RNA polymerase III and also studied the assembly of transcription factors at the U6 promoter.

1996-1999 Post-Doctoral Research Fellow,  Cancer Research UK, London Research Institute

My second post-doctoral position was in Prof Nic Jones’ laboratory and focussed upon the control of cell cycle-dependent transcription. Here my research utilised the fission yeast, Schizosaccharomyces pombe as a model system.

Epigenetic Control of Gene Expression and Genome Integrity

The human genome is made up of nearly two metres of DNA that must be compacted into a nucleus of just a few microns in diameter. This is achieved by packaging DNA with histone proteins into a complex called chromatin. Importantly, the modulation of chromatin structure is a key mechanism for regulating the function of the underlying DNA and as such, chromatin represents a fundamental layer of epigenetic control. Indeed, defects in chromatin are associated with gene dysregulation, genome instability and a number of diseases states that include cancers and neurodegenerative disorders.

We primarily focus on the role of histone chaperones that control the assembly and disassembly chromatin. We also study how chromatin is employed to keep control of mobile genetic elements and so maintain genome integrity. Our experiments predominantly use the fission yeast, Schizosaccharomyces pombe which is very easy to manipulate genetically. As the processes and proteins that we study have been highly conserved throughout evolution, our fission yeast studies provide insight into how the function of chromatin is controlled in humans and how aberrant chromatin structure results in disease states. We are also interested in the mechanisms by which heterochromatin regulates gene expression and virulence in the fungal pathogen Zymoseptoria tritici

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• Murton HE, Grady PJR, Chan TH, Cam HP, Whitehall SK. . Genetics 2016, 203(3).
• Gal C, Murton HE, Subramanian L, Whale AJ, Moore KM, Paszkiewicz K, Codlin S, Bähler J, Creamer KM, Partridge JF, Allshire RC, Kent NA, Whitehall SK. . EMBO Reports 2016, 17(1), 79-93.
• Narayanan S, Dubarry M, Lawless C, Banks AP, Wilkinson DJ, Whitehall SK, Lydall D. . PloS ONE 2015, 10(7), e0132240.
• Gal C, Moore KM, Paszkiewicz K, Kent NA, Whitehall SK. . Cell Cycle 2015, 14(1), 123-134.
• Pai CC, Deegan RS, Subramanian L, Gal C, Sarkar S, Blaikley EJ, Walker C, Hulme L, Bernhard E, Codlin S, Bähler J, Allshire R, Whitehall S, Humphrey TC. . Nature Communications 2014, 5, 4091.
• Flanagan MD, Whitehall SK, Morgan BA. . Cell Cycle 2013, 12(2), 271-277.
• Purtill FS, Whitehall SK, Williams ES, McInerny CJ, Sharrocks AD, Morgan BA. . Cell Cycle 2011, 10(4), 664-670.
• Anderson HE, Kagansky A, Wardle J, Rappsilber J, Allshire RC, Whitehall SK. . PLoS One 2010, 5(10), e13488.
• Anderson HE, Wardle J, Korkut SV, Murton HE, López-Maury L, Bähler J, Whitehall SK. . Molecular and Cellular Biology 2009, 29(18), 5158-5167.
• McFarlane RJ, Whitehall SK. . Cell Cycle 2009, 8(19), 3102-3106.
• Dainty SJ, Kennedy CA, Watt S, Bähler J, Whitehall SK. . Eukaryotic Cell 2008, 7(3), 454-464.
• Greenall A, Williams ES, Martin KA, Palmer JM, Gray J, Liu C, Whitehall SK. . Journal of Biological Chemistry 2006, 281(13), 8732-8739.
• Lydall DA, Whitehall SK. . DNA Repair 2005, 4(10), 1195-1207.
• Blackwell C, Martin KA, Greenall A, Pidoux A, Allshire RC, Whitehall SK. . Molecular and Cellular Biology 2004, 24(10), 4309-4320.
• Bulmer R, Pic-Taylor A, Whitehall SK, Martin KA, Millar JBA, Quinn J, Morgan BA. . Eukaryotic Cell 2004, 3(4), 944-954.
• Stiefel J, Wang L, Kelly DA, Janoo RTK, Seitz J, Whitehall SK, Hoffman CS. . Eukaryotic Cell 2004, 3(3), 610-619.
• Greenall A, Hadcroft AP, Malakasi P, Jones N, Morgan BA, Hoffman CS, Whitehall SK. . Molecular Biology of the Cell 2002, 13(9), 2977-2989.
• Borrelly GPM, Harrison MD, Robinson AK, Cox SG, Robinson NJ, Whitehall SK. . Journal of Biological Chemistry 2002, 277(33), 30394-30400.
• Robinson NJ, Whitehall SK, Cavet JS. . Advances in Microbial Physiology 2001, 44, 183-213.
• Janoo RTK, Neely LA, Braun BR, Whitehall SK, Hoffman CS. . Genetics 2001, 157(3), 1205-1215.
• Whitehall S, Stacey P, Dawson K, Jones N. . Molecular Biology of the Cell 1999, 10(11), 3705-3715.
• Zhu Y, Takeda T, Whitehall S, Peat N and Jones N. Functional characterization of the fission yeast start-specific transcription factor Res2. Embo Journal 1997, 16, 1023-1034.
• Whitehall SK Kassavetis GA and Geiduschek EP. The symmetry of the yeast U6 RNA gene's TATA box and the orientation of the TATA-binding protein in yeast TFIIIB. Genes and Development 1995, 9, 2974-2985.