Central role of transcription factors in common age-related diseases

Group leader:

Prof. Carsten Carlberg, PhD, Professor of Biochemistry, carsten.carlberg(at)uef.fi

The scientific interest of our team is on mechanisms of gene regulation and its impact on major common diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, atherosclerosis, Alzheimer’s and cancer. Our investigations use methods of molecular biology, bioinformatics and systems biology.

Since more than 20 years the expertise of our team is on the analysis of transcription factors and their primary target genes resulting in more than 120 original publications. Most of our projects concentrate on members of the nuclear receptor superfamily of ligand-activated transcription factors, such as the vitamin D receptor (VDR), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs), retinoic acid receptors (RARs) and liver X receptors (LXRs). During the last years our group has expanded its focus on gene regulatory networks and systems biology approaches on transcription factor function.

Transcription factors regulate functions as diverse as reproduction, differentiation, development, metabolism and homeostasis. Nuclear receptors in particular are promising pharmacological targets as they bind small molecules, which can be easily modified by drug design. Many lipophilic nutritional compounds act as ligands for nuclear receptors, which in turn have a large impact on controlling enzymes and transporters for these metabolites. We are part of the Microgennet Network, which is a collaboration of 16 distinguished universities and research institutes worldwide. The overall aim of the exchange program is to build, extend and strengthen sustainable collaborations between the partners so as to create a community driven knowledge base for micronutrient genomics research. Currently, the data on nutrient effects on health are scattered in publications and databases around the world.

Links:

Our main research topics are:

  • Genome-wide screening for nuclear receptor target genes
  • Identification of regulatory SNPs
  • Mechanisms of transcriptional cycling
  • Gene networks for cellular differentiation

To address these issues, we use a wide pattern of state-of-the-art molecular biology and bioinformatic methods, including quantitative PCR and ChIP-Seq.

Teaching

All our projects on the mechanisms of transcriptional regulation and the molecular medicine of age-related disease are supported by a set of five Master level (5 ECTS each) and one Bachelor level (3 ECTS) lecture courses lectured every year by Prof. Carlberg.

Funding sources

Collaboration

  • Moray Campbell (Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, USA)
  • Sami Heikkinen (University of Eastern Finland, Finland)
  • Karl-Heinz Herzig (University of Oulu, Finland)
  • Sander Kersten (University of Wageningen, The Netherlands)
  • Ferdinand Molnar (University of Eastern Finland)
  • Alberto Munoz (Instituto de Investigaciones Biomedicas, Madrid, Spain)
  • Antonio Mourino (University of Santiago de Compostela, Spain)
  • Mikael Peräkylä (University of Eastern Finland)
  • Nick Plant (University of Surrey, Guildford, UK)
  • Patsie Polly (University of Southwest Australia, Sydney)
  • Lucia Ribeiro (University of Sao Paulo, Brasil)
  • Mieke Verstyuf and Frans Schuit (University of Leuven, Belgium)
  • Knut Steffensen and Eckardt Treuter (Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden)
  • Markku Tammi (University of Eastern Finland, Finland)
  • Frank Bruggeman and Hans Westerhoff (Free University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands)

Selected Recent Publications