Every cell in the human body contains essentially the same DNA, yet different cells can behave in remarkably different ways. Brain cells, for example, are very different from the cells of the heart. This is possible because each cell switches different genes on and off through a layer of regulation known as epigenetics. When this control system breaks down, cells can lose their normal identity and diseases such as cancer can develop.
Although we have known for decades that DNA provides the blueprint for life, we still cannot reliably predict how a cell or organism will behave from its DNA sequence alone.
Dr Isbel’s research examines how gene-regulating proteins read DNA while it is packaged inside cells in a structure called chromatin. His work has shown that chromatin is not simply packaging: it helps determine how and when genes are activated, and ultimately how cells respond to stress.
He combines genomics, molecular biology, and computational approaches to uncover the rules governing these interactions. His laboratory is now investigating how these rules are disrupted in cancer and how they might be manipulated to restore normal gene control.
Ultimately, this research aims to develop new ways to manipulate proteins that control genome regulation but have traditionally been difficult to target using conventional therapies. By learning how to restore the function of protective proteins that act on our genome but become dysregulated in diseases such as cancer, Dr Isbel hopes to create new opportunities for future treatments.