Using Cancer’s Strength to Fight Against It

Jaehyuk Choi, MD, PhD

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Kimberly Prize Winner Named

Renowned biochemist Craig M. Crews, PhD, wins 2024 prize

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New Human Gene Cluster Sequence Discovered

Marc Morgan, PhD and Saeid Parast, PhD

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Chandel 2023 Lurie Prize Recipient

Awarded by the FNIH for outstanding research in biomedical science

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Ali Shilatifard, PhD & Shana Kelley, PhD

Elected to American Academy of Arts and Sciences

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Our Mission

Epigenetic-driven insights are proving to be fundamental to a myriad of diseases including cancer, heart, immunologic and neurological conditions. The mission of the Simpson Querrey Institute for Epigenetics at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine is the investigation of the link between environmental factors in the regulation of the expression of genes packaged within our chromatin. Such studies shall define how the misregulation of epigenetic processes can result in pathological conditions and how we can take advantage of such molecular information for developing treatments through targeted therapeutics.

We will work very hard to develop a deeper molecular understanding of the machinery involved in the regulation of epigenetics with an eye for developing targeted therapeutics for the treatment of diseases due to epigenetic abnormalities. These efforts, we expect, shall lead to more personalized medicine and a better quality of life."

– Ali Shilatifard, PhD, the Robert Francis Furchgott Professor and chair of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Institute Director

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Research

The institute brings together experts in biochemistry, molecular genetics, computational biology, fundamental biology, epidemiology and clinical medicine to develop foundational insights about how environmental conditions – including emotional experiences, chemical exposure, obesity, exercise, diet and drug therapies – impact the human genome using sophisticated molecular, biochemical and computational methods.

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Featured Stories

SQE Membership

<p>Members of Northwestern University’s Simpson Querrey Center for Epigenetics (SQE) receive invitations to join faculty from both campuses in coming together to engage in collaborative discussions at regularly hosted seminars and events. Membership is open to all faculty, clinicians, students and staff.</p><p><a class="button" href="https://forms.feinberg.northwestern.edu/view.php?id=444276">Become a Member</a></p>

Members of Northwestern University’s Simpson Querrey Institute for Epigenetics (SQE) receive invitations to join faculty from both campuses in coming together to engage in collaborative discussions at regularly hosted seminars and events. Membership is open to all faculty, clinicians, students and staff.

Become a Member

Understanding Epigenetics

<p>Watch this original animation, which explains chromatin biology, epigenetics and the regulation of gene activity.</p><p><a class="button" href="https://youtu.be/XelGO582s4U">Watch Video</a></p>

Chromatin Biology

Watch this original animation, which explains chromatin biology, epigenetics and the regulation of gene activity.

Watch Video

The Simpson Querrey Institute for Epigenetics

We study the effects of environment on the activation and expression of genes.

Watch Video

About Our Name

Our work is supported by the generosity of university trustees and supporters Kimberly K. Querrey and the late Louis A. Simpson ’58. For more than a decade, Simpson and Querrey have consistently supported Northwestern and made possible many strategic initiatives, including the Louis A. Simpson and Kimberly K. Querrey Biomedical Research Center, a 14-story, 600,000-square-foot building that significantly expanded Feinberg’s biomedical research enterprise.

About the Research Center

Our work is supported by the generosity of University trustees and supporters Louis A. Simpson ’58 and Kimberly K. Querrey. For more than a decade, Simpson and Querrey have consistently supported Northwestern and made possible many strategic initiatives, including the forthcoming <a href="https://www.feinberg.northwestern.edu/sites/simpson-querrey/">Louis A. Simpson and Kimberly K. Querrey Biomedical Research Center</a>, a 14-story, 600,000-square-foot building that will significantly expand Feinberg’s biomedical research enterprise.

Spotlights

Lillian Eichner, PhD

Lillian Eichner, PhD

V-Foundation Scholar recipient for her research on Elucidating LKB1-specific vulnerabilities in therapeutic resistance in lung cancer!

Shannn Laberh, PhD

Shannon Lauberth, PhD

Research Scholar and funding recipient from the Harold E. Eisenberg Foundation to support her research on RNA based therapeutics for treatment of colorectal cancer!

Lillian Eichner, PhD

Lillian Eichner, PhD

Recipient of an American Cancer Society (ACS) Mission Boost Grant titled "Combination Targeted Therapy Approach for KRAS, LKB1-mutant Lung Cancer"

L Wang, PhD

Lu Wang, PhD

Recipient of a US Department of Defense (DOD) grant. The goal of the grant is to further characterize the function of the new gene C11orf53 we identified in lung cancer.

Zib Zha, PhD

Zibo Zhao, PhD

Recipient of the Lefkofsky foundation grant titled "Catalytic inhibition of COMPASS: development of a novel approach for metastatic breast cancer therapy"

Ali Shilaifard, PhD

Ali Shilatifard, PhD

Recipient of the 2022 National Cancer Institute Outstanding Investigator Award

Marc Mendill, PhD

Marc Mendillo, PhD

Assistant Professor Marc Mendillo, PhD receives NIH/NIGMS R01 grant. Title: Regulation and interplay of Heat Shock Factors in growth-associated proteotoxic stresses

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Clara Peek, PhD

Clara Peek, PhD

Assistant Professor Clara Peek, PhD receives NIH/NIDDK R01 grant. Title: Clock Control of Muscle Glucose Metabolism and HIF Activity

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Lillian Eichner, PhD

Lillian Eichner, PhD

Assistant Professor Lillian Eichner, PhD receives the NCI Transition Career Development Award (K22)

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L Wang, PhD

Lu Wang, PhD

Assistant Professor Lu Wang, PhD receives NIGMS Maximizing Investigators’ Research Award (MIRA) (R35)

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Issam Ben-Sahra, PhD

Issam Ben-Sahra, PhD

Assistant Professor Issam Ben-Sahra, PhD receives NIH/NIGMS R01 grant funding. Title: Regulation of de novo purine synthesis by the MAPK/ERK pathway

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Mara Iwanaszk, PhD

Marta Iwanaszko, PhD

Research Assistant Professor Marta Iwanaszko, PhD receives NCI R50 funding. Title: Computational Approaches for Studying Transcription Elongation Control in Cancer

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