Epigenetics is commonly defined as the study of heritable changes in chromosome structure or gene activity that occur without changes in DNA sequence. Decades ago, CSHL Nobel laureate Barbara McClintock uncovered strong evidence of epigenetic phenomena in maize. Since then, work at CSHL and elsewhere has established that proper functioning of epigenetic mechanisms of inheritance, such as maintaining stable gene silencing over many cell divisions, is essential to several aspects of biology. Moreover, CSHL scientists have linked aberrant silencing of tumor suppressor genes to cancer. Efforts in many CSHL laboratories have begun to reveal the molecular features of epigenetic phenomena and the duplication and inheritance of higher order chromatin structure. Based on their work in yeast, worms, flies, plants, and mammals, CSHL researchers are establishing comprehensive models for several aspects of epigenetic inheritance. These include RNA interference, the modification of histone proteins and DNA (e.g. by methylation), and importantly, ways in which these processes work together to establish and maintain silent versus active chromatin. Such research has begun to unify many previously unconnected genetic and biochemical observations, and is having a significant impact on how we view the biology of DNA.

Leemor Joshua-Tor - structural biology; nucleic acid regulation; RNAi; molecular recognition; X-ray crystallography.
Robert Martienssen - Plant genetics; transposons, development, gene regulation, DNA methylation
Arne Stenlund - Papillomavirus; cancer; DNA replication
Bruce Stillman - DNA replication, chromatin assembly, biochemistry, yeast genetics, cancer; cell cycle