Laboratory for Functional Non-coding Genomics

The human genome is much more than a collection of protein-coding genes. Over 98% of our DNA consists of non-coding regions that were once dismissed by many as junk DNA. A large fraction of this genetic landscape is made up of transposable elements, which are sequences capable of moving to different locations within the genome. Traditionally, transposable elements were viewed solely as threats to genome stability and were linked to mutations and disease. Our research takes a more nuanced view and asks how transposable elements can also act as dynamic regulatory units that contribute to genome plasticity and environmental adaptation.

The Laboratory for Functional Non-coding Genomics explores the surveillance systems that manage these mobile elements across life stages. We are particularly interested in the mechanisms that allow cells to distinguish harmful activity from beneficial functions. One major focus is the HUSH complex, an epigenetic regulator that silences specific transposable elements. Our recent findings suggest that during fetal development, HUSH activity naturally decreases, allowing a temporary increase in the expression of certain elements. This controlled fluctuation appears important because disrupting it can lead to substantial fertility defects in animal models.

Beyond development, we also explore how transposable elements respond to external stressors such as viral infections. Our goal is to clarify the big picture of genome regulation by understanding how interactions between transposable elements and the pathways that restrain them shape phenotypic diversity and evolutionary change. By defining this flexible control network, we aim to offer new insights into the fundamental logic of life and into molecular mechanisms that contribute to complex conditions such as infertility and age-related decline.