What does the Epigenome do? From molecular function to developmental phenotype

Research Bio Overview:

Jamie Hackett is a group leader at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), within the Epigenetics and Neurobiology unit in Rome, Italy. He obtained his PhD at the University of Edinburgh, and completed postdoctoral training at the University of Cambridge, UK, under Prof. Azim Surani. The Hackett group investigates the fundamental principles of epigenetic regulation, from molecular mechanisms to organismal responses. They integrate environmental perturbations and precision (epi)genome editing technologies to dissect the mechanisms by which normal or aberrant chromatin states functionally participate in genome control and developmental programming. They also model the impact of induced epigenomic changes on intergenerational health and disease susceptibility. Key questions include:  

• What is the regulatory function of distinct chromatin states across genomic contexts?
• How does normal or altered epigenome programming impact development?
• How does the environment influence intergenerationally heritable factors in germ cells?

 

Selected Publications (link):

Policarpi C… Hackett JA (2024). Systematic epigenetic editing captures the context-dependent instructive function of chromatin modifications. Nature Genetics (in press).

Denboba … Hackett JA (2024). Paternal microbiome perturbations impact offspring fitness. Nature (in press).

Carlini V, Policarpi C & Hackett JA (2022). Epigenetic inheritance is gated by naïve pluripotency and Dppa2.  

EMBO Journal.

Gretarsson K & Hackett JA (2020). Dppa2 and Dppa4 counteract de novo methylation to establish a permissive epigenome for development. Nature Structural & Molecular Biology.

Tang WW… Hackett JA Chinnery PF, Surani MA. (2015). A unique gene regulatory network resets the human germline epigenome for development. Cell.

Hackett, JA… Surani A. (2013). Germline DNA demethylation dynamics and imprint erasure through 5-hydroxymethylcytosine. Science.