Congratulations to Jeremy Daniel
Jeremy Austin Daniel
Associate Professor, Group Leader
Field of research
Biochemistry, molecular genetics, chromatin biology, genome stability
Project title
Specificificity of PTIP complex function in B-lymphocytes
How did you become interested in your particular field of research?
During graduate school, I was inspired by an enthusiastic group of investigators with the idea that advancements in chromatin biology and epigenetics may hold great promise for understanding human health and disease. During my postdoctoral training, I continued to investigate the function of chromatin but with an approach more applicable to human cancer. Here, training with a leader in the DNA repair field whose seminal discoveries include describing the role of a chromatin-associated protein that mediates the cellular response to DNA damage was very appealing to me. Over the last six years, my own subsequent discoveries have made clear to me my commitment to a career in cancer-related research and have paved the way for me to continue pioneering in the exciting niche of DNA repair accessibility.
What are the scientific challenges and perspectives in your project?
My project is a basic science project with direct physiological relevance. Answering the biological questions my research raises often requires the use of genetically modified animals to be competitive in the current scientific landscape. For this project, the cost of housing mice is a challenge and will require careful oversight. Another challenge in this project will be to execute productive collaborations with professionalism and respect and I greatly look forward to working with the key scientists described in the project. The project is in line with my long-term goal of understanding how chromatin structure and histone modifying activities impact genomic stability. The completion of this project will greatly increase our fundamental understanding of how histone modifying complexes promote chromatin accessibility critical for DNA rearrangements in lymphocytes, and it may lead to novel approaches to suppress the formation of oncogenic chromosomal translocations and tumorigenesis.
Which impact do you expect the Sapere Aude programme will have on your career as a researcher?
Simply put, the Sapere Aude Starting Grant allows me to carry out my proposed research in Denmark. This grant gives me the security that I can do the research I am most passionate about and be competitive on the world stage. This grant gives me the flexibility my career currently needs to move the science forward. This grant gives me the possibility to train additional scientists at different stages of their careers, creating a balanced and productive environment in the lab. Lastly, this grant gives me possibilities to contribute my unique expertise to the Danish scientific community through additional exciting collaborations, which would otherwise be far less possible.