My research focusses on chromatin structure and dynamics. In particular, I am interested in ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling enzymes and telomere maintenance. My aim is to combine chemical genetics with in vitro biochemistry to obtain mechanistic insight into novel chromatin remodeling enzymes and the means by which they affect telomere function.

Ferreira, HC, Towbin, BD, Jegou, T & Gasser, SM 2013, 'The shelterin protein POT-1 anchors Caenorhabditis elegans telomeres through SUN-1 at the nuclear periphery' Journal of Cell Biology, vol 203, no. 5, pp. 727-735. DOI: 10.1083/jcb.201307181 Kueng, S, Tsai-Pflugfelder, M, Oppikofer, M, Ferreira, HC, Roberts, E, Tsai, C, Roloff, T-C, Sack, R & Gasser, SM 2012, 'Regulating repression: roles for the Sir4 N-terminus in linker DNA protection and stabilization of epigenetic states' PLoS Genetics, vol 8, no. 5, e1002727. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1002727 Ferreira, HC, Luke, B, Schober, H, Kalck, V, Lingner, J & Gasser, SM 2011, 'The PIAS homologue Siz2 regulates perinuclear telomere position and telomerase activity in budding yeast' Nature Cell Biology, vol 13, no. 7, pp. 867-874. DOI: 10.1038/ncb2263 Schober, H, Ferreira, HC, Kalck, R, Gehlen, LR & Gasser, SM 2009, 'Yeast telomerase and the SUN domain protein Mps3 anchor telomeres and repress subtelomeric recombination' Genes & Development, vol 23, no. 8, pp. 928-938. DOI: 10.1101/gad.1787509 Chang, EY, Ferreira, H, Somers, J, Nusinow, DA, Owen-Hughes, T & Narlikar, GJ 2008, 'MacroH2A Allows ATP-Dependent Chromatin Remodeling by SWI/SNF and ACF Complexes but Specifically Reduces Recruitment of SWI/SNF' Biochemistry, vol 47, no. 51, pp. 13726-13732. DOI: 10.1021/bi8016944