Daniel Ibrahim (PhD Student)

   ibrahim@molgen.mpg.de
   Phone (+49 30) 8413 1449

   Projects:

Identification of Hoxd13 targets in mesenchymal differentiation




In all bilaterians HOX genes are known to be required for the correct development of morphological structures along the main body axis. As transcription factors they are thought to give the cells cues about their positional information. But how exactly HOX transcription factors exert their influence has been largely unclear. In the past few years some progress has been made in finding their mammalian target genes. Among these targets are genes encoding transcription factors, extracellular matrix components and signalling molecules (reviewed in Svingen & Tonissen 2006). But so far the list of HOX targets remains rather pointed.


My aim is to investigate the mechanisms by which HOXD13, a gene involved in the patterning and development of hands and feet, regulates cartilage and bone development.




Using Chromatin Immunoprecipitation, followed by Next-Generation Sequencing (ChIP-Seq) to discover new HOXD13 targets and integrate the results with expression and epigenetic analysis will enable to gain insight into how mesenchymal cell differentiation is influenced by HOXD13. Ultimately, this aims at an understanding of how few, powerful transcription factors control cell fate decisisons and differentiation.