PhD defence D. (Deng) Cheng

Novel molecular and CRISPR/Cas tools to redirect NF-kB signaling to an anti-inflammatory output in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

After the completion of the Human Genome Project, biological research in the post-genomic era has focused on interpreting the biological functions of genes and their products. This includes investigating the regulation of DNA transcription as well as DNA replication and damage repair. These aspects are intricately connected to regulated cell death and diseases associated with it, such as drug-resistant cancers and neurodegenerative diseases. The discovery of novel DNA processing mechanisms that modulate cell death, whether by inducing or inhibiting it, could unveil promising therapeutic strategies for treating diseases related to cell death, such as cancer.  

The thesis of Deng Chen mainly focuses on the modulation of DNA transcription by histone lysine acetylation and on DNA damage repair mechanisms. The aim of this thesis is to elucidate the regulatory mechanisms of DNA processing involved in regulated cell death and their role in disease pathogenesis. We developed and evaluated novel small molecular entities to treat cell-death-related diseases based on the mechanisms identified in this thesis.

Promotors: Prof.dr. F.J. Dekker and Prof.dr. H.J. Haisma