Events Calendar

USC -PSOC Monthly Seminar Series - Professor John F. Marko

Speaker: Professor John F. Marko, Department of Molecular Biosciences, Department of Physics and Astronomy, NCI Physical Sciences and Oncology Center Northwestern University

Talk Title: The physical organization of chromosomes and cancer

Abstract: Professor Marko will discuss research in our PS-OC that is focused on studies of large-scale chromosome struc-ture, using a few different biophysical approaches. First I will discuss some of the evidence that the folding of chromatin in tumorigenic cells differs from that in non-tumorigenic cells, for exam-ple, drastic changes in chromatin structure associated with misregulation of histone methylation (Licht group). I will discuss how light scattering and electron microscop can be used (Backman group) to analyze the “roughness” of chromatin in the nucleus and how this is modified in disease versus “normal” cell lines. I will then discuss work aimed at analyzing how replication origin usage is modified in tumorigenic cells
(Le Beau group). Finally, I will discuss methods for visualization and micromanipulation of individual metaphase chromosomes, which allow direct analysis of chromatin folding and packing (Marko group).
Experiments which reveal a “cross-linked network” organization of mitotic chromosomes will be discussed, along with preliminary results showing how metaphase chromosome mechanics are affected by knockdowns of subunits of chromosome-condensing “condensin” complexes.


Biography: Professor John F. Marko
Department of Molecular Biosciences, Department of Physics and Astronomy, NCI Physical Sciences and Oncology Center Northwestern University


Host: Center For Applied Molecular Medicine

Location: May Ormerod Harris Hall, Quinn Wing & Fisher Gallery (HAR) -

Audiences: Everyone Is Invited

Contact: Yvonne Suarez