Menu

Department
  • Genetics
    • Research Theme Beyond the Neuron Lifelong Brain Development and Brain Ageing
    Back

    Professor Anne Ferguson-Smith

    University Position
    Professor

    Interests

    Genomic imprinting is an epigenetic mechanism causing genes to be expressed depending on their parental origin. Our research investigates the mechanism and evolution of genomic imprinting and the function of imprinted genes in development and disease. Part of this programme considers the implications of epigenetic control in the development and function of the brain. We also use imprinting as a model system for analysing the epigenetic control of genome function and in particular the roles of DNA methylation and histone modifications in the regulation of gene activity and repression. Our work focuses on an imprinted domain that includes genes and non-coding RNAs that are expressed during neural development and in the adult brain. Little is known about the precise roles of these genes. We are taking molecular approaches using mouse genetic models to address the function of these genes.

    Key Publications

    Publications

    Novel Primate Model of Serotonin Transporter Genetic Polymorphisms Associated with Gene Expression, Anxiety and Sensitivity to Antidepressants.

    DOI: http://doi.org/10.1038/npp.2016.41
    Journal: Neuropsychopharmacology
    E-pub date: 31 Aug 2016
    Authors: AM Santangelo, M Ito, Y Shiba, HF Clarke, EH Schut, G Cockcroft, AC Ferguson-Smith, AC Roberts

    Novel Primate Model of Serotonin Transporter Genetic Polymorphisms Associated with Gene Expression, Anxiety and Sensitivity to Antidepressants

    DOI: http://doi.org/10.1038/npp.2016.41;
    Journal: Neuropsychopharmacology
    E-pub date: 21 Mar 2016
    Authors: AM Santangelo, M Ito, Y Shiba, HF Clarke, EHS Schut, G Cockcroft, AC Ferguson-Smith, AC Roberts

    Trim28 Haploinsufficiency Triggers Bi-stable Epigenetic Obesity.

    DOI: http://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2015.12.025
    Journal: Cell
    E-pub date: 28 Jan 2016
    Authors: K Dalgaard, K Landgraf, S Heyne, A Lempradl, J Longinotto, K Gossens, M Ruf, M Orthofer, R Strogantsev, M Selvaraj, TT-H Lu, E Casas, R Teperino, MA Surani, I Zvetkova, D Rimmington, YCL Tung, B Lam, R Larder, GSH Yeo, S O'Rahilly, T Vavouri, E Whitelaw, JM Penninger, T Jenuwein, C-L Cheung, AC Ferguson-Smith, AP Coll, A Körner, JA Pospisilik

    Differential genomic imprinting regulates paracrine and autocrine roles of IGF2 in mouse adult neurogenesis.

    DOI: http://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms9265
    Journal: NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
    E-pub date: 1 Sep 2015
    Authors: SR Ferrón, EJ Radford, A Domingo-Muelas, I Kleine, A Ramme, D Gray, I Sandovici, M Constancia, A Ward, TR Menheniott, AC Ferguson-Smith

    In utero effects. In utero undernourishment perturbs the adult sperm methylome and intergenerational metabolism.

    DOI: http://doi.org/10.1126/science.1255903
    Journal: Science
    E-pub date: 15 Aug 2014
    Authors: EJ Radford, M Ito, H Shi, JA Corish, K Yamazawa, E Isganaitis, S Seisenberger, TA Hore, W Reik, S Erkek, AHFM Peters, M-E Patti, AC Ferguson-Smith

    An unbiased assessment of the role of imprinted genes in an intergenerational model of developmental programming.

    DOI: http://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgen.1002605
    Journal: PLoS Genet
    E-pub date: 1 Aug 2012
    Authors: EJ Radford, E Isganaitis, J Jimenez-Chillaron, J Schroeder, M Molla, S Andrews, N Didier, M Charalambous, K McEwen, G Marazzi, D Sassoon, M-E Patti, AC Ferguson-Smith

    Genomic imprinting as an adaptative model of developmental plasticity.

    DOI: http://doi.org/10.1016/j.febslet.2011.05.063
    Journal: FEBS Letters
    E-pub date: 7 Jul 2011
    Authors: EJ Radford, SR Ferrón, AC Ferguson-Smith