Priyanka Sharma joins IPBS to create her research team on epigenetics and cancer

Transcription regulation by RNA polymerase II is a complex process that is guided by tissue-specific transcription factors. These factors play a critical role in proliferation, cell identity, and function, and their dysregulation contributes to oncogenesis and drug resistance. Understanding the molecular mechanisms that regulate the recruitment of protein complexes to the transcription machinery is therefore essential for deciphering the fundamental processes underlying these pathological conditions.

Post-translational modifications of chromatin, including arginine citrullination, are crucial components of gene regulation mechanisms. Arginine citrullination is catalyzed by the peptidyl arginine deiminases family of enzymes, and its implications in the distinct stages of transcriptional events in cancer remain to be elucidated. To address this gap in knowledge, Dr. Sharma’s team will focus on investigating the functional implications of arginine citrullination in transcriptional plasticity and immune hijacking in cancer patients. Using advanced multidisciplinary approaches inclusive of single-cell omics, microscopy, and mass spectrometry, the team aims to gain a comprehensive understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying this process.

Selected in the international call for new group leaders conducted by the IPBS in 2022, P. Sharma, INSERM Research associate, has been awarded with grants from the Agence Nationale de la Recherche (ANR JC-JC programme) and the Fondation pour la recherche sur le cancer (ARC). She will join the institute in April 2023 to create her emerging research group.

The Sharma lab is looking for motivated candidates to apply for a PhD fellowship at the doctoral school in Toulouse. Send your application to Priyanka.Sharma@ipbs.fr