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Personal Research Fellowships for 2003-2006 were awarded to:
Exploring the cytoplasmic functions of shuttling pre-mRNA splicing factors
Using powerful proteomic and genomic technologies, Dr Sanford is hoping to improve understanding of the regulation of the gene expression. Although much is known about the 'switching on and off' of the genes controlling the synthesis of messenger RNA (mRNA), very little is known about what controls the events which result in mRNA programming protein synthesis in cells. Newly-synthesised mRNA is known to progress through several processing stages before it moves out from the nucleus and into the cytoplasm, to programme protein synthesis. Several mRNA binding proteins are involved in the process: some of which only function at a discrete step, while others remain associated with the mRNA throughout and 'shuttle' between the cell nucleus and surrounding cytoplasm. It is these latter binding proteins which will be the subject of Dr Sanford's research as he tries to clarify the exact nature of their role.
Genetic analysis of essential genes involved in chromosome structure and segregation in vertebrate cells
For normal cell division (mitosis) to take place, the DNA molecule within the nucleus has to be condensed 10,000-fold, creating the rod-shaped chromosomes which can be copied and then separated into two new nuclei. While the fact of this is known, what remains to be clarified are the mechanisms by which this shortening of the DNA molecule and the establishment of the characteristic structure of the chromosomes occurs. Condensin is a protein complex that has recently been shown to play an essential part in these processes. Dr Hudson will be using a combination of biochemical, proteomic, structural and genetic analysis techniques to break this complex down into its constituent proteins and then he hopes to identify which are important in the process of defining the structure of the chromosomes just prior to cell division.