Chief, Epigenetics & RNA Biology Laboratory and Principal Investigator
Deputy Chief, Epigenetics & RNA Biology Laboratory and Principal Investigator
Research Summary
The Epigenetics and RNA Biology Laboratory investigates fundamental mechanisms by which epigenetics — non-genetic modulation and alterations — influences chromatin architecture, transcription and gene expression in normal, cancer and embryonic stem cells and provides insights into biological processes that modulate the effects of environmental exposures. It also focuses on the molecular basis of self-renewal and pluripotency in embryonic stem (ES) cells and induced pluripotency stem (iPS) cells, as well as gene regulatory pathways using genomic, molecular, biochemical, computational and structural approaches.
In addition to the cutting edge hypothesis driven research of its investigators the laboratory provides leadership and support to the NIEHS in areas of genomics, epigenomics, mass spectrometry, and bioinformatics analyses. These endeavors build and research strengths established in the prior Laboratory of Molecular Carcinogenesis and extend the scope of the research beyond cancer to examine a broad range of environmental impacts on human health and development.
Principal Investigators
Chromatin & Gene Expression
Deputy Director, NIEHS;
NIH Distinguished Investigator
Eukaryotic Transcriptional Regulation
Chief, Epigenetics & RNA Biology Laboratory and Principal Investigator
Macromolecular Structure
Deputy Chief, Epigenetics & RNA Biology Laboratory and Principal Investigator
Transcriptional Responses in Disease
Scientific Support Staff
Donald L. Cox Jr
Administrative Specialist
Derrick L. Raynor
Administrative Technician
Publications
Recent Publications
-
Zhou H, Zhai X, Zhou C, Chen J, Wang X, Li L, Shi W, Sun S, Chen G, Hu G, Zuo E, Zhang M. Chemical reprogramming directly resets mouse post-implantation epiblast cells to a totipotent state.
Cell research.
2026 May;36(5):381-384.
[
AbstractZhou H, Zhai X, Zhou C, Chen J, Wang X, Li L, Shi W, Sun S, Chen G, Hu G, Zuo E, Zhang M. Chemical reprogramming directly resets mouse post-implantation epiblast cells to a totipotent state. Cell research. 2026 May
]
-
Stevens D, Hinton K, O'Brien K, Buckley J, Welch B, Watts J, Calafat A, Botelho J, Sinkovskaya E, Przybylska A, Saade G, Abuhamad A, Ferguson K. Considerations for the Analysis of Urinary Environmental Chemical Concentrations During Pregnancy.
Epidemiology (Cambridge, Mass.).
2026 May 01;37(3):325-335.
[
AbstractStevens D, Hinton K, O'Brien K, Buckley J, Welch B, Watts J, Calafat A, Botelho J, Sinkovskaya E, Przybylska A, Saade G, Abuhamad A, Ferguson K. Considerations for the Analysis of Urinary Environmental Chemical Concentrations During Pregnancy. Epidemiology (Cambridge, Mass.). 2026 May 01
]
-
Wang D, Wang X, Malki S, Chan Y, Bennett B, Feng J, Tang J, Chen X, McKim D, Zhang C, Tao L, Xu J, Chen Y, Hu G, Ying Q. GSK3α functions as a stemness checkpoint across multiple stem cell states.
Cell research.
2026 Apr 09 [Epub ahead of print].
[
AbstractWang D, Wang X, Malki S, Chan Y, Bennett B, Feng J, Tang J, Chen X, McKim D, Zhang C, Tao L, Xu J, Chen Y, Hu G, Ying Q. GSK3α functions as a stemness checkpoint across multiple stem cell states. Cell research. 2026 Apr 09
]
-
Yasar P, Day C, Bennett B, Hoffman J, Kammel L, Archer T, Rodriguez J. Layered Single-Cell Heterogeneity in Hormone Receptor Signaling Across Mouse Organoids and Human ERα+ Cancer Cells.
bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology.
2026 Mar 23 [Epub ahead of print].
[
AbstractYasar P, Day C, Bennett B, Hoffman J, Kammel L, Archer T, Rodriguez J. Layered Single-Cell Heterogeneity in Hormone Receptor Signaling Across Mouse Organoids and Human ERα+ Cancer Cells. bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology. 2026 Mar 23
]
-
Diaz-Jimenez D, Oakley R, Hoffman J, Bortner C, Lih F, Li J, Williams J, Scappini E, Gerrish K, Garantziotis S, Archer T, Cidlowski J. Timing of Glucocorticoid Treatment Dictates Glucocorticoid Receptor Actions Modulating the NLRP3-Inflammasome Activation in Macrophages.
FASEB journal : official publication of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology.
2026 Feb 15;40(3):e71510.
[
AbstractDiaz-Jimenez D, Oakley R, Hoffman J, Bortner C, Lih F, Li J, Williams J, Scappini E, Gerrish K, Garantziotis S, Archer T, Cidlowski J. Timing of Glucocorticoid Treatment Dictates Glucocorticoid Receptor Actions Modulating the NLRP3-Inflammasome Activation in Macrophages. FASEB journal : official publication of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology. 2026 Feb 15
]
More Recent Publications from PubMed
