Nearly all cells respond to physiological or developmental cues by large-scale transcriptional reprogramming – altering the expression of hundreds to thousands of genes throughout the genome. Such sweeping changes in gene expression also underlie the development of diseases such as cancer, and they can also be caused by normal or abnormal genetic variation between individuals. The Iyer lab is interested in understanding how gene expression is regulated across a eukaryotic genome. They focus on gene expression at the level of transcription, but are also interested in post-transcriptional regulation mediated by miRNAs.
The Iyer group works in human cells and also uses yeast as a model system to address various questions regarding global gene regulation. They use genomic and molecular experimental methods coupled with computational analyses. The genomic methods involve extensive use of DNA microarrays and next-generation sequencing (Illumina, SOLiD). Some major lines of research in the lab are as follows: i) Transcriptional regulatory networks in yeast; ii) Role of chromatin in gene regulation; iii) Regulatory networks in human cell proliferation; iv) Regulation and function of miRNAs during proliferation; and v) The ENCODE Project.