Research Interests

• Chromatin structure and the associated gene activity are directed by many different chromatin regulators that are involved in chromatin modifications. The coordinated functions of chromatin regulators allow the dynamic regulation of gene activity states in diverse physiological processes. More and more chromatin regulators have been implicated in human disease pathogenesis. Thus, studying the structural basis for chromatin regulation not only helps understand the molecular mechanisms underlying the epigenetic regulation of gene activity, but also reveals the structural alterations of chromatin regulators in human disease and favors the development of therapeutic strategies. We’re interested in elucidating the structural basis of histone and DNA modifications at the level of nucleosome and chromatin, and uncovering the crosstalk mechanisms among the nucleosome modifications, by using the combinational structural methodology, such as X-ray Crystallography, Cryo-EM Single Particle Analysis, and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance. Our studies help understand how the chromatin structure is epigenetically regulated and how the malfunctions of the chromatin regulators are involved in the pathogenesis of human diseases. Our research also reveals potential drug targets for therapy development.