Humaira Gowher

Title:

Associate Professor

PhD Granting Institution:

Biochemistry

Contact:

Email Address: hgowher@purdue.edu

Primary Training Group:

Chemical Biology

Secondary Training Groups:

Cancer Biology

Research Areas:

The overarching goal of our research is to elucidate epigenetic mechanisms that control cell identity and determine how these mechanisms are disrupted in cancer. The research specifically focuses on the activity of distal regulatory elements, called enhancers, and insulators of developmental genes by using mouse embryonic stem cells and embryonal carcinoma cells as model systems. In addition, we also study biochemical mechanism/s of DNA methyltransferases and the effect of mutations commonly found in cancer and other developmental disorders.

Current Projects:

Regulation of gene expression by epigenetic mechanisms has emerged as a fundamental process that controls mammalian development and normal function. Epigenetic mechanism constitutes DNA methylation, post translational modification of histone tails, chromatin conformation and non-coding RNA. The histone tail modifications and DNA methylation are established and maintained by various enzymes which include methyltransferases. The expression and activity of these enzymes particularly the DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs) is subjected to a tight regulation during development and in somatic cells. Research in Gowher lab is largely focused on unravelling mechanism/s that regulate the expression and activity of the mammalian DNA methyltransferases during development and in diseased state. Dr. Gowher has published 37 peer-reviewed publications in the field of epigenetics. Most of her work has focused on questions related to DNA methylation, including the specificity of Dnmts, their distinct functions, and interactions with other epigenetic regulators. All these studies are performed using innovative biochemistry and molecular biology techniques, which include high throughput Bisulphite-sequencing (Bis-SEQ), Chromatin Immunoprecipitation-sequencing (ChIP-SEQ), RNA-SEQ and Mass Spectrometry. The lab is currently funded for four major projects. 1) Regulation of enhancer activity by cross talk of chromatin modifiers and Dmt3A and 3B; 2) Role of chromatin configuration (enhancer-promoter interactions) in regulation of DNMT3A and DNMT3B activity; 3) Mechanism by which Vezf1 regulates gene expression during endothelial differentiation and angiogenesis; 4) co-regulation of DNMT3B transcription and alternative splicing by its upstream enhancer and non-coding RNA.