DMMC COURSES & WORKSHOPS

UNRAVELLING CHROMATIN & THE ROLE OF
EPIGENETICS IN DISEASE
Tue 25 - Wed 26 Apr 2006 (0930-1800 each day)
Venue: Lecture Theatre, UCD Conway Institute, University College Dublin (location)

Download the course poster (429 KB PDF)

Read the course report (100 KB PDF)

Online application is closed
Online application period: 6 Mar - 10 Apr 2006
Application for this course is open to researchers throughout Ireland. We also have anumber of places available to international applicants. Those interested in attending who are based outside Ireland should contact education@dmmc.ie before applying online.

This course runs over two consecutive days. Day 1 covers chromatin structure and the principles of epigenetics. Lectures will detail the covalent modifications of DNA and histones, the techniques used to determine epigenetic modification, and the principles and experimental application of miRNA and siRNA technology. The day concludes with a keynote lecture by Prof Thomas Jenuwein (Research Institute of Molecular Pathology, Vienna, Austria).

Day 2, epigenetics in development and disease, focuses on the applications of epigenetics in answering specific research questions, and in understanding disease phenotypes. These lectures will be given by investigators with an active epigenetic programme as part of their research, or who carry out epigenetic analyses diagnostically. The keynote lecture on day 2 is by Prof David Skuse (Behavioural & Brain Sciences Unit, Institute of Child Health, University College London, UK).

This course is suitable for those with a molecular biology research background. Day 1 can stand alone as an introduction to epigenetic mechanisms and experimental techniques, and is essential as a prelude to day 2 for those without experience in epigenetics. Ample opportunities will be provided for discussion and interaction among attendees and speakers over the two days.

Follow the links below to read an abstract of each lecture, together with supplementary reading in some cases.

Tue 25 Apr; 0930-1800
CHROMATIN & EPIGENETIC PRINCIPLES
0930 Day 1 overview Dr Amanda McCann, UCD
0935 Introduction to epigenetics research
         Prof Thomas Jenuwein, IMP, Vienna.
1000 Chromatin structure
         Dr John Baugh, UCD & Dr Jenny Orr, UCD
         abstract
1030 DNA methylation
         Dr Colum Walsh, University of Ulster  abstract
1100 Coffee/Tea
1115 Assessing DNA methylation in the laboratory
         Antoinette Perry, TCD  abstract
1140 Pyro Q-CpG - quantitative CpG methylation
         analysis Simon Margerison, European Support
         Manager, Biotage  abstract
1200 General discussion: DNA methylation
1230 Histone modification Dr Steven Gray, TCD
         abstract
1300 Lunch (including sponsor demonstrations)
1400 Assessing histone modification in the laboratory
         Emmett McArdle, UCD  abstract
1430 Optimizing chromatin immunoprecipitation:
         tips and suggestions Dr Rachel Imoberdorf,
         Senior Development Scientist, Abcam  abstract
1450 General Discussion: histone modification
1515 Coffee/Tea
1530 The regulatory rise of small non-coding RNAs
         Dr Charlie Spillane, University College Cork
         abstract
1600 Experimental application of siRNA technology
         Dr Jane Farrar, TCD  abstract
1620 Genomic imprinting: a trans-kingdom
         perspective Dr Charlie Spillane, UCC  abstract
1640 General discussion and summing up of Day 1
1700 Keynote Lecture: Epigenetic control by histone
         methylation Prof Thomas Jenuwein, Research
         Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Vienna,
         Austria.  abstract

Wed 26 Apr; 0900-1800
EPIGENETICS IN DEVELOPMENT & DISEASE
0930 Day 2 Overview Dr Steven Gray, TCD
0935 Epigenetics: implications for cloning
         Dr Kay Nolan, UCD  abstract
0950 Epigenetics & cancer Dr Amanda McCann, UCD
         abstract
1010 Epigenetics in the diagnostic setting
         Dr David Barton, UCD  abstract
1030 Epigenetics & behaviour Dr Sean Mulvany, UCD
         abstract
1050 Epigenetics as a pharmacological target
         Dr Helen Gallagher, UCD  abstract
1110 Coffee/Tea
1130 Evolution of genomic imprinting
         Dr Kay Nolan, UCD  abstract
1215 Virtual epigenetics: internet tools
         Dr Steven Gray, TCD  abstract
1300 Lunch
1400 The epigenome of prostate cancer
         Prof Mark Lawler, TCD
1445 Use of demethylating agents and histone
         deacetylase inhibitors in the clinical setting
         Dr Steven Gray, TCD  abstract
1530 Coffee/Tea
1545 General discussion and summing up of Day 2
1700 Keynote Lecture: Imprinting & psychiatric
         disease Prof David Skuse, Institute of Child Health,
         University College London, UK  abstract
1800 Reception

Course Organisers
Dr Amanda McCann (UCD Conway Institute of Biomolecular & Biomedical Research)
Dr Steven Gray (Institute of Molecular Medicine, St James’s Hospital & TCD)

Course Committee
Dr John Baugh (UCD Conway Institute of Biomolecular & Biomedical Research)
Dr Helen Gallagher (UCD Conway Institute of Biomolecular & Biomedical Research)
Dr Sean Mulvany (UCD Conway Institute of Biomolecular & Biomedical Research)
Dr Kay Nolan (School of Biological and Environmental Science, UCD)

Course Instructors (in addition to the above)
Dr David Barton (National Centre for Medicial Genetics, Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children, Dublin)
Dr Jane Farrar (Smurfit Institute of Genetics, TCD)
Prof Mark Lawler (Institute of Molecular Medicine, St James’s Hospital & TCD)
Dr Jenny Orr (UCD Conway Institute of Biomolecular & Biomedical Research)
Mr Emmett McArdle (UCD Conway Institute of Biomolecular & Biomedical Research)
Ms Antoinette Perry (Institute of Molecular Medicine, TCD)
Dr Charlie Spillane (Biochemistry Department & Biosciences Institute, University College Cork)
Dr Colum Walsh (School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Ulster)

Course Sponsors