Transcription complexes variability in development and disease

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Former members

Former PhD students (period of their PhD indicated, with the year when they defended their theses, and their last known positions with the corresponding affiliations are indicated, if known)

Xavier Jacq, 1992-1997, thesis: 14. 10. 1997. Chief Scientific Officer at MoA Technology, Oxford, England, United Kingdom.
Anne Bertolotti, 1993-1998, thesis: 20.04.1998. Programme Leader and PI, at MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology (LMB), Cambridge, UK
Jean-Christophe Dantonel, 1995-1999, thesis: 17. 12. 1999. Health and Biotechnologies Director at Governement Agency, Paris, France
Marjorie Brand, 1996-2001, thesis: 20.2.2001. Group Leader at Department of Cell and Regenerative Biology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, School of Medicine and Public Health, USA.
Doris Kirschner, 1997-2001, thesis: 14.03.2001. Sophrologist, Île-de-France, France.
Claire Leurent, 1998-2002, thesis 13.12.2002. Principal, Venture Investments at Johnson & Johnson Innovation, MA. Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Máté Á. Demény, 2001-2006, thesis: 31.05.2006. Research associate at University of Debrecen, Hungary
Sara Hardy, 2001-2005, thesis: 24.06.2005. Data Analyst at Evotec, Auzeville-Tolosane, Occitanie, France
Flavie Robert, 2001-2005, thesis: 15.06.2005. Co-fondatrice de Bokoloko SàRL - Entrepreneuse Epicière, Vevey, Switzerland
Adrien Eberlin, 2002-2008, thesis: 09.11.2007, Medical Science Liaison, at Merck Sharp and Dohme (MSD) France,
Laure Jobert, 2003-2009, thesis: 28.11.2007. Staff Scientist at Thermo Fisher Scientific, Oslo, Norway,
Emese Gazdag, 2004-2009, thesis: 24.11. 2008. Emese Gazdag, 2004-2009, thesis: 24.11. 2008. Post-doc with Bertrand Seraphin, IGBMC, Illkirch, France.
Arnaud Krebs, 2006-2010, thesis 21.09.2010. Group-leader at EMBL, Heidelberg, Germany
Guillaume Lang, 2006-2011, thesis: 20.09.2011. PhD in Molecular Biology, Strasbourg, France.
Jacques Bonnet, 2007-2013, thesis: 16.03.2013. Post-doc with Jürg Müller at MPI of Biochemistry, Martinsried, München, Germany
Anne Riss, 2007-2012, thesis: 16.09.2012. Technical Support Scientist for the UK/Nordics area at Merck Millipore, Molsheim, France
Akos Gyenis, 2008-2013, thesis: 16.12.2012. Researcher and laboratory supervisor at the institute of CECAD at University of Cologne, Köln, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
Sarina Ravens, 2010-2014, thesis: 1.12. 2014. Group Leader at Institut of Immunology, Hannover Medical School, Germany.
Nikolas Vosnakis, 2010-2014, thesis 16.12.2014. PhD in Molecular Biology, Strasbourg, France.
Tiago Baptista, 2013-2017, thesis 25. 09. 2017. Post-doc with Catarina Homem, at CEDOC – Chronic Diseases Research Center, Lisbon, Portugal
Federica Evangelista, 2014-2018, thesis 19. 12. 2017. Submission Manager in the Open Access journal “Frontiers” in Lausanne, Switzerland.
Paul Bardot, 2014-2018, Ph.D. student, thesis 28. 06. 2018. Field Medical Advisor at Madrigal Pharmaceuticals, France
Sascha Conic, 2014-2018, thesis 27. 09. 2018. Post-Doc in the lab of Profs. Andreas Trumpp and Marc Thier at the DKFZ in Heidelberg, Germany
Changwei Yu, 2015-2018, thesis 13. 12. 2018. Post-doc with Julius Brennecke, IMBA, Vienna BioCenter, Vienna, Austria.
Pooja Mukherjee, 2015-2019, thesis 20. 09. 2019. Post-doc with Jamie Cate at University of California-Berkeley, USA. She is also chair of of the Berkeley Science Fellows program.
Fang Wang, 2017-2021, thesis 04. 12. 2020. Post-doc with Nicola Iovino at Max Planck Institute in Freiburg, Germany.
Veronique Fischer, 2016-2021, thesis 29. 09. 2020, European patent examiner, at European Patent Office (EPO), München, Germany.
Kenny Schumacher, 2017-2022, thesis 08. 12. 2021, Field Application Scientist, Illumina, Strasbourg, Grand Est, France.
Vincent Hisler, 2017-2022, thesis 22. 12. 2021, Post-doc with Anna Jazwinska Müller, at Faculté des Sciences et de Médecine, Université de Fribourg, Switzerland

Former Post-docs (period they spend in the Tora lab, and their last known positions with the corresponding affiliations are indicated)

Veronika Dubrovskaya, 1993-1995. Research Associate, Department of Biological Sciences, Fordham University, Bronx, NY, USA.
Elzbieta Wieczorek, 1995-1997. Project leader at Department of Biochemistry, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, Wroclaw, Poland;
Brendan Bell, 1997-2002. Associate professor and Director of Microbiology graduate studies at University of Sherbrooke, Canada
Lorant Lakatos, 1999-2001. Principal Investigator at Biological Reseach Center, Szeged, Hungary;
William Mohan, 1999-2003. Scientists at Health Canada, Ontario, Canada;
Elmar vom Baur, 2001-2002. Senior Director, Project Leader Development Projects at Numab Therapeutics AG, Zurich, Switzerland.
Evi Soutoglou, 2001-2003. Professor of Genome Stability, and Group Leader at School of Life Sciences, at University of Sussex, UK.
Mattia Frontini, 2001-2006. BHF Senior Basic Science Research Fellow at Cambridge Cardiovascular, Department of Haematology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge, UK.
Nathalie Matter, 2002-2003. Cluster manager NanoMat & Managing director, at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) Materials Center, Karlsruhe, Germany
Traci Hilton, 2003-2006. Principle Investigtor at UbiVac, LLC, Portland, Oregon, USA
Zita Nagy, 2004-2008, Co-founder of 'BienAvecMonChien', Dog Educator Behaviorist, Alsace, France;
Anne Helmrich, 2006-2012 Technical Support for Merck Millipore Life Science, Molsheim, France;
Maria Elena Torres-Padilla, 2006-2008. Director of Institute of Epigenetics and Stem Cells at Helmholtz Zentrum München, Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt (GmbH), Germany;
Meritxell Orpinell, 2007-2010, Team Lead, Professional Services at Benchling, Geneva, Switzerland
Krishanpal Karmodiya, 2008-2013. Principal Investigator and Assistant Professor at Center of Excellence in Epigenetics, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Pune, India;
Anamika Krishanpal, 2009-2013. Technical Specialist and Genomics Team Leader at Labs, at Persistent Systems, Pune, India;
Monica Ballarino, 2010-2012. Professor at Dept. of Biology and Biotechnology "Charles Darwin" Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy;
Eda Süer, 2012-2013. Instructor, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Bilkent University, Ankara, Turkey
David Umlauf, 2010-2013. Maître de Conférences at Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France;
Marjorie Fournier, 2010-2014. Research Scientist, Proteomics Specialist, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
Chen-Yi Wang, 2012-2014 Postdoctoral Research Scientist, NDORMS, Medical Science Division, University of Oxford, UK.
Ivanka Kamenova, 2014-2017. Associate Editor at Nature Protocols, London, UK;
Farrah El-Saafin, 2016-2019. Research Assistant at Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia;
Gizem Yayli-Vokshi, 2020-2023, Post-doctoral Fellow with Utthara Nayar, at Johns Hopkins University, School of Public Health, Baltimore, United States;

Former Visiting Professors

Prof. Michael Poirier (6 moths in 2018) Department of Physics, Ohio State University, USA

Transcription complexes variability in development and disease

DEPARTMENT

Development and stem cells

TEAM LEADER

Stephane VINCENT

Over the past years our lab has identified and characterized a large number of metazoan nuclear transcription factors. These regulatory proteins include RNA polymerase II initiation factors (TFIID in particular) and co-activators (Spt-Ada-Gcn5 acetyl transferase, SAGA; or Ada Two A containing; ATAC) that form large multi-subunit complexes at promoter DNA to mediate transcription initiation and/or modify the epigenetic landscape of the genome. Our studies demonstrate that these complexes or their variants play a critical role in regulating transcription, as well as chromatin-regulatory processes. Our main research interest is to study the nature and assembly of these molecular machineries, the mechanisms by which they control how specific protein coding genes are turned on and off in the nucleus of a given cell, during growth, differentiation and development. We use biochemical, genetic, cell biology, imaging, biophysical, bioinformatic and structural approaches to study the control of gene expression, genome stability and chromatin architecture in different eukaryotic organisms (yeast, mouse and human). Our current and planned activities aim to better understand gene regulatory processes in different cellular systems and during the development of intact vertebrate organisms. We are also interested how does the disruption of this highly regulated processes lead to various disease states.

Current projects

1) Study the assembly of transcription complexes;

2) Analysis of preinitiation complex variability and their role in transcription regulation during development and differentiation (during oocyte growth in particular);

3) Understanding the role of co-activator complexes in transcription regulation;

4) Investigation of of general transcription factor behavior, recruitment and RNA polymerase II transcription in living cells at transcribed genes;

5) Characterize how and why TAF mutations cause neuronal disorders and intellectual disabilities?

Collaborations and networks

Dr. Marc H.T.M. Timmers, German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Medical Center-University of Freiburg, Germany, ANR-PRCI project
Dr. Dominique Helmlinger, Centre de Recherche en Biologie Cellulaire de Montpellier (CRBM), CNRS UMR5237, Montpellier, France; and Nacho Molina, ANR project;
Dr. Fred Coin, IGBMC; IGBMC, Illkirch, France, ANR project
Prof. Ferenc Müller, Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, School of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Birmingham; UK, TBPL2 project,
Prof. Imre Berger, Bristol University, TBPL2 project,
Prof. Boris Lenhard, Imperial College London, UK; TBPL2 project,
Dr. Iannis Talianidis, Institute of Molecular Biology & Biotechnology, FORTH, Herakleion, Crete, Greece, EU-ITN project;
Dr. Pascal Didier, UdS, Laboratoire Biophotonique et des interactions moleculaires, Illkirch, France, Imaging project;
Dr. Nacho Molina, IGBMC, Illkirch, France, Quantification and analysis of nuclear transcription factor behavior and recruitment project
Dr Bertrand Séraphin, IGBMC, Illkirch, analysis of regulation of mRNA decay during oocyte growth;
Prof. Stéphane Viville, Hôpital Universitaire de Strasbourg, identification of TBPL2 mutations associated with female infertility in patients, FRM project;
Prof. Etienne Weiss, ESBS UdS, Illkirch, France, Visualization of nuclear transcription factors project;
Dr. Patrick Schultz and Dr. Gabor Papai; IGBMC, Illkirch, France, cryo-EM structure of TFIID, SAGA and ATAC complexes;
Dr. Florian Müller, Pasteur Institute, Paris, France, TFIID assembly project;
Prof. Michael Poirier, Ohio State University (OSU), Ohio, USA; NIH RO1 grant, characterization of HAT complexes
Prof. Carlos Castro, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, OSU, USA; NSF grant, DNA origami project.
Dr. Melike Lakadamyali, University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine, Department of Physiology, Philadelphia, USA, NSF grant, DNA origami project.
Prof. Jeff Ranish, Institute for Systems Biology, Seattle, USA; Crosslinked mass spec projects on TFIID, SAGA and ATAC.
Prof. Steve Hahn, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, USA; the role of SAGA and TFIID in yeast.

Funding and partners

Research Support for the Tora team in the past 10 years

ANR PRCI Programme 2023, (ANR-23-CE11-0034-01), project: DNA Origami-based machines for epigenetic manipulation of gene transcription (acronym: ChromOrigami), 01/01/2024-31/12/2026, French coordinator: L. Tora, collaboration with the teams of N. Molina (IGBMC), M. Poirier, Ohio State University (Department of physics, OSU, USA), US coordinator, and C. Castro (OSU, USA).
ANR Programme 2022 (ANR-22-CE11-0013-01_ACT), project: Structure and function of human ATAC HAT complex (acronym ATAC); 01/10/2022-30/09/2025, Coordinator: G. Papai (IGBMC), collaboration with L. Tora team.
NIH MIRA grant (USA), R35GM139564, Mechanisms of chromatin regulation of transcription. Coordinator: M. Poirier, Ohio State University (Department of physics, OSU, USA), co-PI. Tora group (IGBMC); 01/02/2022-31/08/2026.
FRM (Fondation pour la Recherche Médicale) (EQU-2021-03012631), "Équipe labélisé FRM", project: Characterization of a new transcription initiation machinery functioning during mammalian oogenesis; 01/12/2021-30/11/2024,
ANR Programme 2020 (ANR-20-CE12-0014-02), project: Coactivator, Partner: D. Devys (Tora team). Coordinator: D. Helmlinger (CRBM, Montpellier) 01/04/2021-28/02/2025.
ANR Programme 2020 (ANR-20-CE12-0017-03), project: Functions and dysfunctions of the transcription/repair factor TFIIH (acronym TFIIH) Coordinator: F. Coin (IGBMC), collaboration with L. Tora team; 01/01/2021-30/06/2024.
ANR PRCI Programme 2019, (EpiCAST-19-CE12-0029-01), project: Epigenetic complex assembly in space and time (acronym: EpiCAST), French coordinator: L. Tora, collaboration with HTM Timmers' (DKFZ, Freiburg, Germany) team; 01/01/2020-31/30/06/2023.
NSF (National Science foundation, USA), Emerging Frontiers in Research and Innovation 2019 (EFRI), SUBAWARD N° 60072367;, project: DNA origami tools to engineer chromatin structure and function in live cells; with four US groups. Coordinator: C. Castro (OSU, USA); 01/09/2019-31/08/2023
ANR Programme 2019 (PICen-19-CE11-0003-02), project: Structure and function of endogenous yeast TFIID-containing complexes (acronym PICen); Coordinator: G. Papai (IGBMC), collaboration with L. Tora team; 01/10/2019-30/09/2022.
ANR Programme 2018 (ANR-18-CE12-0026), SAGA-Retina, Coordinator: D. Devys (Tora team). 01/01/2019-31/12/2021;
NIH RO1 grant (USA), 5R01GM131626-02, coordinator: M. Poirier, Ohio State University (OSU, USA): Understanding how two related mammalian histone acetyl transferase co-activator complexes, SAGA and ATAC, differentially regulate chromatin dynamics and transcription. 01/02/2019-31/01/2023.
ANR Programme 2015, (ANR-15-CE11-0022-02), SAGA2, Structure, activité et analyse génomique de co-activateur SAGA, Two groups. Applicant D. Devys. Partner; 01/10/2015-30/09/2018.
ERC Advanced Grant-2013, project: From birth to action: regulation of gene expression through transcription complex biogenesis, (acronym BIRTOACTION) 01/01/2014-31/12/2018.

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News

When protein complex construction and protein synthesis occur simultaneously

The activity of our cells is regulated by multiprotein complexes, essential for their functioning. In a study published in Nature Structural &…

Awards and recognitions

Laszlo Tora -

Elected as a member of Academia Europaea, in 2016
Elected as a member of Faculty Opinions (originally called F1000Prime) in 2014. Member of the Cell Biology/Control of Gene Expression Faculty.
ERC Advanced Grant - European Research Council, in 2013.
Doctoral and research supervision award for high level of scientific activity with teaching from CNRS, in 2013.
Etancelin Grand Prize - Institut de France de l'Académie des Sciences - in 2011
Elected as a member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Section of Biological Sciences, in 2010
Scientific Prize - Helmholtz Humboldt Research award, in 2005
Elected as a member of the European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO) in 2001
Silver Medal - CNRS - 2001
One-year research scholarship within the framework of Hungarian-French scientific and technical cooperation and exchange programs (in 1985).