Institute of Cancer Sciences

Dr Katherine West

Dr Katherine L West
  • Lecturer (Epigenetics)

telephone: 01412116329
email: Katherine.West@glasgow.ac.uk


Epigenetics of stem cells and cancer stem cells
Neural stem cells (NSC) have the ability to proliferate and differentiate into all neuronal and glia cell types within the brain. In addition to their essential role during development, NSCs are important for learning, memory and neuronal repair in adults. Genetically mutated NSC are also thought to be the origin of glioblastoma, which is one of the most common brain tumours in adults and has a very poor survival rate.
My lab is interested in the epigenetic mechanisms that control gene expression in stem cells. We are using next generation sequencing to study the changes in histone modifications during stem cell differentiation and malignant transformation. By understanding the epigenetic mechanisms underlying these cell type transitions, we hope to facilitate the use of epigenetic and stem cell therapies to treat cancer and neurodegenerative disease.

Jump to: 2012 | 2008 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001
Number of items: 15.

2012

Barkess, G., Postnikov, Y., Campos, C.D., Mishra, S., Mohan, G., Verma, S., Bustin, M., and West, K.L. (2012) The chromatin-binding protein HMGN3 stimulates histone acetylation and transcription across the Glyt1 gene. Biochemical Journal, 442 (3). pp. 495-505. ISSN 0264-6021 (doi:10.1042/BJ20111502)

Jiwaji, M. et al. (2012) Unique reporter-based sensor platforms to monitor signalling in cells. PLoS ONE, 7 (11). e50521. ISSN 1932-6203 (doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0050521)

2008

Meczes, E.L., Gilroy, K.L., West, K.L., and Austin, C.A. (2008) The impact of the human DNA topoisomerase II C-terminal domain on activity. PLoS ONE, 3 (3). e1754. ISSN 1932-6203 (doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0001754)

2005

Birger, Y, Catez, F, Furusawa, T, Lim, JH, Prymakowska-Bosak, M, West, KL, Postnikov, YV, Haines, DC, and Bustin, M (2005) Increased tumorigenicity and sensitivity to ionizing radiation upon loss of chromosomal protein HMGN1. Cancer Research, 65 (15). pp. 6711-6718. ISSN 0008-5472

Lim, JH, West, KL, Rubinstein, Y, Bergel, M, Postnikov, YV, and Bustin, M (2005) Chromosomal protein HMGN1 enhances the acetylation of lysine 14 in histone H3. EMBO Journal, 24 (17). pp. 3038-3048. ISSN 0261-4189

Rubinstein, YR, Furusawa, T, Lim, JH, Postnikov, YV, West, KL, Birger, Y, Lee, S, Nguyen, P, Trepel, JB, and Bustin, M (2005) Chromosomal protein HMGN1 modulates the expression of N-cadherin. Febs Journal, 272 . pp. 5853-5863. (doi:10.1111/j.1742-4658.2005.04980.x)

2004

Lim, JH, Catez, F, Birger, Y, West, KL, Prymakowska-Bosak, M, Postnikov, YV, and Bustin, M (2004) Chromosomal protein HMGN1 modulates histone H3 phosphorylation. Molecular Cell, 15 (4). pp. 573-584. ISSN 1097-2765

West, K.L., and Bustin, M. (2004) The role of HMGN proteins in chromatin function. In: Zlatanova, J. and Leuba, S.H. (eds.) Chromatin Structure and Dynamics: State-of-the-Art. Series: New comprehensive biochemistry (39). Elsevier, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, pp. 135-154. ISBN 9780444515940

West, KL (2004) HMGN proteins play roles in DNA repair and gene expression in mammalian cells. Biochemical Society Transactions, 32 . pp. 918-919.

West, KL, Castellini, MA, Duncan, MK, and Bustin, M (2004) Chromosomal proteins HMGN3a and HMGN3b regulate the expression of glycine transporter 1. Molecular and Cellular Biology, 24 . pp. 3747-3756. (doi:10.1128/MCB.24.9.3747-3756.2004)

2003

Birger, Y, West, KL, Postnikov, YV, Lim, JH, Furusawa, T, Wagner, JP, Laufer, CS, Kraemer, KH, and Bustin, M (2003) Chromosomal protein HMGN1 enhances the rate of DNA repair in chromatin. EMBO Journal, 22 (7). pp. 1665-1675. ISSN 0261-4189

West, KL, Postnikov, YV, Birger, Y, and Bustin, M (2003) Chromatin decompaction method by HMGN proteins. Methods in Enzymology, 371 . pp. 521-536.

2002

West, KL, Turnbull, RM, Willmore, E, Lakey, JH, and Austin, CA (2002) Characterisation of the DNA-dependent ATPase activity of human DNA topoisomerase IIbeta: mutation of Ser165 in the ATPase domain reduces the ATPase activity and abolishes the in vivo complementation ability. Nucleic Acids Research, 30 (24). pp. 5416-5424. ISSN 0305-1048

2001

Birger, Y., Ito, Y., West, K.L., Landsman, D., and Bustin, M. (2001) HMGN4, a new nucleosomal binding protein encoded by an intronless gene. DNA and Cell Biology, 20 (5). pp. 257-264.

West, KL, Ito, Y, Birger, Y, Postnikov, Y, Shirakawa, H, and Bustin, M (2001) HMGN3a and HMGN3b, two protein isoforms with a tissue-specific expression pattern, expand the cellular repertoire of nucleosome- binding proteins. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 276 (28). pp. 25959-25969. ISSN 0021-9258

This list was generated on Wed May 22 01:12:05 2013 BST.

Grants and Awards listed are those received whilst working with the University of Glasgow.

  • Engineering Zinc finger proteins for efficient gene targeting in human cells
    Tenovus-Scotland
    2011 - 2013
     
  • The Molecular Nose
    EPSRC
    2007 - 2011
     
  • The role of the chromatin unfolding protein HMGN1 in the cellular response to DNA damage
    Association for International Cancer Research
    2007 - 2010
     
  • Understanding how the chromatin protein HMGN3 regulates target gene expression
    BBSRC
    2005 - 2008
     
  • The role of the chromatin protein HMGN3 in cytokine-induced gene expression
    European Commission
    2005 - 2006
     
  • Investigation into a peptide inhibitor of HMGN proteins that could sensitise cancer cells to radio- or chemotherapy
    Tenovus-Scotland
    2004 - 2005