June 02, 2015
1

NSF Grants Conference, Jun 1-2, 2015 (Tampa, FL)

Posted by | Awards, Outreach, Research, Technology | No Comments

The last couple of days we have been attending the NSF Grant meeting hosted by the State University System of Florida at the University of South Florida. In addition to multiple talks and presentations facilitating key information for future NSF applications, we have had the opportunity to interact with fellow scientists and administrators sharing common research and outreach interests.
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May 11, 2015
1

Ciro Rivera-Casas’ PhD dissertation is finished!

Posted by | Chromatin, DNA, Education, Genetics, Histones, Molecular biology, Research | No Comments

Our own Ciro Rivera-Casas is about to defend his Ph.D. dissertation! we’re really excited after checking the final printed copy of his work! During the last 5 years, Ciro has been focused on the characterization of histone variants in marine invertebrates and the methodologies for the study of chromatin in these organisms. Along the way, he has discovered several interesting and unexpected features of these proteins that soon will be published as part of his Ph.D. work. Congratulations to Ciro and best of luck for the defense of his work this summer!

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April 29, 2015
1

Marine Sciences Seminar on Florida Red Tides

Posted by | DNA, Education, FIU, Omics | No Comments

This Friday we are closing the 2015 edition of the “Worlds Ahead Marine Sciences Seminar Series” with the visit of Dr. Emily Monroe from the Dept. of Biology at William Patterson University. In this opportunity, Dr. Monroe will be presenting the seminar “Polyketide Synthase Gene Expression in the Florida Red Tide Dinoflagellate, Karenia brevis“.

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The seminar will take place on Friday May 1st, at 12 pm in MSB-105 (BBC campus). In case anyone wants to attend from MMC, please send me an email to arrange polycom broadcast. Also, please contact me in case you want to meet with Dr. Monroe, there will be plenty of opportunities to interact either before or after the seminar.

As you know, Florida Red Tides constitute a major threat in our coastal areas, causing neurotoxic shellfish poisoning in marine organisms, affecting aquaculture and fishery industries, as well as producing respiratory distress in humans. Since many FIU folks develop active research on different aspects of this dinoflagellate species, this seminar promises to be a great framework for interaction, discussion and hopefully future collaborations!

Overall, a great closing for this year’s seminar series!!!. Many thanks to FIU’s University Graduate School, the Dept. of Biological Sciences, the Dept. of Chemistry and Biochemistry and the Marine Sciences Program for their support. Many thanks to our graduate students for selecting a great representation of top notch speakers for these seminars and to all the speakers who visited our beautiful Miami.

Finally, special thanks to all of YOU who attended the seminars and the social events associated with them. Remember, THAT is what gives this seminar series a reason to be alive for future editions and new generations of students.

We look forward to seeing y’all next year! have a great summer!

April 27, 2015
1

Thanks to Dr. Steven Roberts for his visit and a great seminar last week at FIU

Posted by | Chromatin, DNA, Education, Evolution, FIU, Omics | No Comments

Last week we had the visit of Dr. Steven Roberts as our invited speaker within the “2015 Worlds Ahead Marine Sciences Seminar Series”. In addition to enjoying a great seminar, we had the chance of exchanging many exciting ideas about future projects addressing the epigenetic basis of environmental responses and adaptation in marine invertebrates. Many thanks Steven!

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April 14, 2015
2

Marine Sciences seminar on DNA methylation by Dr. Steven Roberts (UWashington)

Posted by | Chromatin, DNA, FIU, Omics, Research | No Comments

Next week we’ll have the visit of Dr. Steven Roberts as invited speaker within FIU’s “2015 Worlds Ahead Marine Sciences Seminar Series”. Dr. Roberts is an Associate Professor in the School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences at the University of Washington (http://faculty.washington.edu/sr320/), where his research focuses on characterizing physiological responses of marine organisms to environmental change. In his seminar he will provide clues to answer the following question: “Does DNA methylation facilitate phenotypic plasticity in marine invertebrates?“.

We really think it does!!

The Chromevol group has many common interests with Dr. Roberts’ research goals! we really look forward to his seminar! The date is Thursday April 23rd at 12pm and the place is room MSB-105 at BBC Campus. The seminar will be followed by a “end-of-semester” BBQ, you’re all invited!

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March 03, 2015
0

The age of toxic tides

Posted by | Cellular biology, Cytogenetics, DNA, Research, Toxicology | No Comments

Toxic algal blooms are responsible for huge economic losses and deep ecological impacts in coastal areas, threatening fisheries and aquaculture industries. Many of these episodes (e.g., Florida red tides) are caused by the explosive proliferation of toxin-producing dinoflagellates in the phytoplankton, causing serious intoxications in human consumers of shellfish. While toxic tides occur naturally in the oceans, their frequency and toxicity is increasing as a consequence of pollution and sea level rise (among other factors), challenging marine ecosystems.

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Yet, we don’t know much about how these biotoxins affect marine life, specially when it comes to constant exposure to sublethal concentrations of these compounds. The work of our own Veronica Prego-Faraldo is contributing to clarify that question. In her most recent paper (Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, Part A), she has studied the cytological effects of the biotoxin okadaic acid on mussels in vitro. Her findings show heterogeneous sensitivities to this biotoxin across different mussel tissues, specially in the case of gills. Altogether, these results confirm the genotoxic consequences of exposure to sublethal concentrations of okadaic acid. Furthermore, they provide clues to develop biomonitoring strategies able to efficiently assess the effects of this biotoxin in natural populations.

February 16, 2015
1

Worlds Ahead Marine Sciences Seminar Series, Spring 2015

Posted by | Education, FIU, Outreach, Research | No Comments

Dear colleagues, here is our exciting Marine Sciences Seminar program for the current semester. This series is possible thanks to enhancement funds granted by the University Graduate School and matching funds from the Marine Sciences Program, from the Departments of Biological Sciences and Chemistry & Biochemistry as well as from the College of Arts and Sciences. Many thanks!!!

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Please note that given the high demand of polycom-able rooms at MMC, no reservations for these seminars have been done yet in the south campus. If you are interested in attending this seminar at MMC please contact jeirinlo@fiu.edu to arrange polycom broadcast.

Please distribute this flyer among your students, we promise exciting topics, great discussions, lots of interaction and a 80’s BBQ to close the series and the semester!

See you at the arcade!

January 31, 2015
1

2015 Glaser week finished

Posted by | Chromatin, Education, FIU, Histones | No Comments

This week we have been honored by the visit of Dr. Steven Henikoff (Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Seattle) within the framework of the 2015 Distinguished Glaser Seminar Series at FIU. During six days, Dr. Henikoff has provided faculty and students with a depth and breadth into chromatin and epigenetics research, making emphasis on the latest developments in this exciting discipline. From FIU we want to thank Dr. Henikoff for his collegiality, rapport and kindness during his visit.

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As part of the social events in the Glaser Seminar program we had the opportunity of visiting the Everglades National Park under the expert guidance of Dr. Jennifer Richards (r), with Steven Henikoff (c) and Chema Eirin-Lopez (l).

January 29, 2015
1

Distinguished Glaser Seminar 2015 – Epigenetics & Chromatin – Dr. Steven Henikoff

Posted by | Awards, Chromatin, DNA, Education, FIU, Histones, Research | No Comments

Dates, time, and place January 26 – 30, 2015, noon to 1:00 PM in room WC130 on the FIU Modesto A. Maidique Campus (MMC), simultaneously broadcast to room MSB105 on the Biscayne Bay Campus (BBC). [Wednesday, January 28 the presentation will be broadcast from BBC to MMC.] A 30-minute period will be available for discussion following each presentation.

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Dr. Steven Henikoff
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center/Howard Hughes Medical Institute/University of Washington

Member of the National Academy of Sciences and Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Editor-in-Chief of the journal “Epigenetics & Chromatin”

Link to Dr. Henikoff laboratory web site

Link to Dr. Henikoff National Academy of Sciences profile

BACKGROUND

For more than a century histone proteins, composed of a polymer known as chromatin, have been studied for their role in the physical organization of chromosomes. More recently interest in this complex has been greatly rekindled by the recognition of chromatin’s role in gene regulation, including acquired traits that are inherited without involving changes in the DNA sequence. In other words, chromatin plays a central role in the configuration and propagation of epigenetic information across generations. The rapid increases in “omic” data and analytical methods have provided new approaches for understanding the interaction between genetic and epigenetic information, adding a layer of complexity in DNA regulation that, while still poorly understood, will clearly be important for understanding how cells adapt to changes in external conditions.

The research of Dr. Steve Henikoff (BS University of Chicago, PhD Harvard University) and his team seeks to understand this elusive relationship between chromatin and epigenetic inheritance. Their work has applied pioneering research approaches combining molecular biology, genetics, evolution and bioinformatics to study the different mechanisms potentially encoding epigenetic information (i.e., histone variants and their chemical modifications, DNA methylation, transcription factor regulatory networks, among others). Among these works, the characterization of the mechanisms governing centromeric chromatin structure and evolution are specially groundbreaking, challenging the classic notion stating that our whole genome, our chromosomes, are filled up with nucleosomes and they’re all octamers. In recent years they have expanded their scope from chromatin structure, dynamics and evolution to interactions with other components of the epigenome including nucleosome remodelers, transcription factors and RNA polymerase II*.

LECTURE TOPICS

Monday, Jan 26: Chromatin dynamics.

Tuesday, Jan 27: Transcription and chromatin.

Wednesday, Jan 28: Centromeric chromatin.

Thursday, Jan 29: Chromatin and cancer.

Friday, Jan 30: Chromatin and centromere evolution.

*From the Henikoff lab web site.