Regulation of gene expression can be accomplished “in cis” by several regulatory elements exerting their action on physically linked genes on the same chromosome. A “trans” regulation aspect of gene expression has also recently been brought to light by studies of the interaction and function of regulatory elements located on a chromosome different from the one that carries the regulated gene. Such regulatory elements include enhancers or locus control regions that are shown to be able to regulate the expression not only of cis-linked genes but also of genes located on different chromosomes, in trans.

The main objective of our laboratory is to apply a combination of biocomputing, molecular, biochemical, imaging and genetic approaches in order to identify and characterize protein complexes that generate and/or maintain long range chromatin interactions in cell populations of the innate and adaptive immune system. We aim to provide substantial information on how the genome is shaped  and how the nuclear structure patterns in the context of distinct subnuclear microenvironments regulate gene expression.