Dr Tatiana (Tanya) Soboleva received her undergraduate training in biochemistry at the Moscow State University. In 1998 she was awarded an International Postgraduate Research Scholarship by the Australian Government.  She undertook her PhD study at the JCSMR, ANU, with Dr Rohan Baker and was awarded a PhD in Molecular Medicine for her work investigating nucleocytoplasmic transport of the de-ubiquitilating enzyme, Usp4. In 2003 she undertook post-doctoral studies with Professor Ian Young (JCSMR, ANU), investigating how the cytokines activate their receptor systems. In 2006 she joined Professor David Tremethick’s laboratory (JCSMR, ANU). The research in the laboratory is focused on investigation of how gene expression  and chromatin structure is regulated by the epigenetic mechanisms. Specifically, we are interested in how histone variants influence chromatin states and transcription. Dr Soboleva has discovered a novel histone variant in mice, H2A.Lap1. We have found that H2A.Lap1 histone variant that is related to a human variant, H2A.Bbd, is involved in activation of gene expression, as well as pre-mRNA splicing processes. The detailed in-depth study of the function of H2A.Lap1 variant in vivo, showed that this histone protein alters chromatin structure to allow activation and processing of genes during specific stages of male germ cells and in the brain. In addition, we have recently found that H2A.Bbd is overexpressed in some cancers and may play a causative role during carcinogenesis. These results provide new avenues for a number of exciting research projects for PhD students and Honours students.

Areas of expertise

• Epigenetics (Including genome methylation and epigenomics)
• Developmental genetics (Including sex determination)
• Cancer epigenetics
• Neurogenetics
• Cell development, proliferation and death