Giacomo Cavalli
- Biologie moléculaire et cellulaire, génomique
Elected member December 19, 2022
Section: Molecular and cellular biology, genomics
- Biologie moléculaire et cellulaire, génomique
Biography
Giacomo Cavalli; elected as an Academician in December 2022; Research Director at the CNRS (French National Center for Scientific Research) at the Institute of Human Genetics in Montpellier, dedicates his research to the study of epigenetic inheritance. This inheritance involves proteins and RNAs that, by interacting with chromosomes (DNA and histones), modulate the expression of our genes—meaning they induce heritable changes in gene activity without altering their sequence.
His research has shown that proteins called Polycomb and Trithorax can lead to epigenetic inheritance across cell division as well as over multiple generations. He has also described in detail the spatial organization of genes within the cell nucleus, discovering chromosomal regions called TADs (Topologically Associating Domains) and their subdivision into "chromatin nanodomains." Additionally, he demonstrated that this three-dimensional organization could provide the basis for epigenetic inheritance across generations.
Finally, he revealed that Polycomb factors are involved in tumorigenesis and that tumors can arise from the disruption of these factors even in the absence of DNA sequence mutations.