DEPARTMENT OF MOLECULAR BIOLOGY

CURRENT RESEARCH AREAS

• Mechanisms of regulation of gene expression by transcription factors and epigenetic factors (noncoding RNA, DNA methylation).

• Search for molecular markers of production and functional traits in cattle; genes affecting milk and meat production traits, health, reproduction, etc.

• Functional genomics of cattle, analysis of differential gene expression profiles using real-time PCR and microarray techniques. Adaptation of tissue transcriptomes to physiological state or nutrition using beef and dairy cattle as primary models, analysis of muscle and liver transciptomes in breeds of cattle differing in meat and milk production capacity and milk and meat quality.

• Expression of candidate genes involved in the development of bovine muscle and adipose tissue.

• Molecular mechanisms of bioactive dietary components on gene expression levels and DNA methylation profiles.

• Identification of molecular biomarkers of selenium pathways with use of Next Generation Sequencing (NGS).

• Bioinformatics analyses of gene networks, gene clusters and biochemical pathways in conjunction with performance and physiological indices; methods and algorithms of genomic data exploration.

• Regulation of cellular and systemic iron metabolism under oxidative stress.

• Role of iron metabolism misregulation in the pathogenesis of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). Studies on mice carrying the human mutation in the Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) gene (SOD1^G93A).

• Use of heme iron preparations in preventing iron deficiency anemia in newborn piglets and mice. Molecular mechanisms of heme iron absorption.

• Studies of the interaction between iron and copper metabolisms in mouse models of Menkes and Wilson diseases.

• Studies of gene expression profiles and epigenetic regulation of genes in brain structures of mice submitted to a chronic stress.