Sisi Li, PhD Investigates How Stress Alters 5hmC by Mediating Transcription Factor (TF) Binding in the Brain

In this Covaris sponsored webinar, which LabRoots will host May 3rd, participants will learn how 5hmC may regulate gene expression by mediating transcription factor binding in vivo.

YORBA LINDA, Calif. (PRWEB) April 30, 2018

While stress is one of the leading causes of neuropsychiatric disorders, the molecular underpinnings of how it induces alterations in brain chemistry leading to mental illness remains poorly understood. In this webinar, the speaker will present her research findings, which focused on the novel environmentally-sensitive DNA methylation mark, 5-hydryoxymethycytosine (5hmC) which is highly enriched in the brain, sensitive to stress, and associated with active neuronal transcription.

Utilizing an optimized protocol for chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) from a limited amount of brain tissue, Dr. Li generated data confirming that exposure to stress resulted in a significant decrease in the binding of a transcription factor to a candidate gene. In addition to ChIP data, Dr. Li will also present RNA-Seq and EMSA data, and describe how to prepare chromatin from low amounts of frozen brain tissue for ChIP applications.

Dr. Li will emphasize the importance of optimizing the formaldehyde fixation step of ChIP, and provide insightful tips on how to minimize tissue loss during ChIP sample preparation.

About the Presenter

Dr. Sisi Li received her Ph.D. in Neuroscience from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. Her graduate research was completed in the lab of Reid Alisch, PhD. Her research focused on the role of the environmentally sensitive novel epigenetic mark, 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC) in response to stress leading to neuropsychiatric disorders.

Dr. Li joined the lab in 2013 and has three co-first author publications and seven in total over her research career. Moreover, she has given 15 oral and poster presentations within the university and at conferences across the country and is currently working on her fourth and fifth first author publications. Notably, she has collaborated with 13 different laboratories and worked closely with technical experts in three core facilities across the UW-Madison campus specializing in confocal microscopy imaging, genetic biotechnology, and flow cytometry/cell sorting.

Her final project and the last portion of her dissertation work focused on developing a deeper understanding of the molecular mechanisms linking stress, 5hmC, and transcription factor binding using chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP)-qPCR. Li’s ultimate goal is to transform basic science research findings into the development of personalized therapies for patients affected by stress-induced neuropsychiatric disorders.

LabRoots will host this webinar May 3, 2018, beginning at 11:00 a.m. PDT, 2:00 p.m. EDT. To learn more about this event, the speaker, or to register for free, click here.

About Covaris
Covaris provides robust sample preparation workflow solutions for genomic and proteomic applications. The patented Adaptive Focused Acoustic™ (AFA) technology supports key next generation sequencing (NGS) applications including: WGS, WES, ChIP-Seq using truChIP® reagent kits for cells and tissues, WGBS, Methyl-Seq, and more.

AFA isolates proteins, metabolites, and other biomolecules for analysis using Mass Spectrometry (MS) and other immuno-based assays. AFA is the industry standard for DNA shearing, active-based nucleic acid and protein extractions from FFPE tissues, cell free DNA (cfDNA) from plasma using the truXTRAC® reagent kits.

The technology is trusted by leading genome centers, academic, and clinical institutions worldwide. The AFA ultrasonic technology, delivers controlled, precise, and accurate acoustic energy to ensure investigators confidently prepare samples for accurate analysis.

About LabRoots
LabRoots is the leading scientific social networking website, which provides daily scientific trending news and science-themed apparel, as well as produces educational virtual events and webinars, on the latest discoveries and advancements in science. Contributing to the advancement of science through content sharing capabilities, LabRoots is a powerful advocate in amplifying global networks and communities. Founded in 2008, LabRoots emphasizes digital innovation in scientific collaboration and learning, and is a primary source for current scientific news, webinars, virtual conferences, and more. LabRoots has grown into the world’s largest series of virtual events within the Life Sciences and Clinical Diagnostics community.

For the original version on PRWeb visit: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2018/05/prweb15451260.htm