This website is dedicated
to the research lab of Maarten van Lohuizen at the Division of Molecular
Genetics of the Netherlands Cancer Institute (NKI).
Role of polycomb-group
genes in transcriptional repression, stem cell fate and tumorigenesis
Our lab has a long-standing
interest in epigenetic gene regulation dictated by chromatin
modifications. We study the mechanism of stable inherited
transcriptional repression by Polycomb-group (Pc-G) protein complexes, and the effects of deregulation of Pc-G
genes on development, cell cycle control, cancer formation and stem cell
maintenance. In addition, we are performing large-scale genetic
screens in primary cells and in cancer-predisposed mice to identify cancer-relevant combinations of collaborating oncogenes and
tumor-suppressor genes.