Jürg Bähler

Professor of Cellular Systems Biology
Bähler laboratory web site
j.bahler@ucl.ac.uk
tel: +(44)-(0)20 3108 1602 (Internal x51602)
fax: +(44)-(0)20 7679 7096

We use a wide range of integrated approaches to analyse to study the dynamic changes and plasticity of gene expression programmes as a function of cell proliferation, differentiation, and quiescence, and the effect of various genetic and environmental perturbations. We are also interested in genetic diversity, genome evolution, and the complex interactions between genotypes, phenotypes, and the environment. We use fission yeast cells (Schizosaccharomyces pombe) as a simple model system in our research. Fission yeast is similar to budding yeast with regard to ease of handling, powerful genetics, and a well defined genome; it is evolutionary distant, however, thus providing a powerful complementary model system that gives unique insights and helps to define universal regulatory principles. The relative simplicity of the yeast cell promises a deeply satisfying, systems-level understanding of its inner workings within our life time.
To pursue this multi-dimensional research with a global perspective, we apply different microarray platforms, next-generation sequencing, proteomic approaches, and massively parallel functional profiling of mutant strains. Integration of our global and molecular genetic approaches, supported with computational data mining and mathematical modelling of genome regulation, will provide a framework for a systems-level understanding of the multi-layered gene expression networks and of regulatory strategies orchestrating biological processes.