Our 
group member Klemensas Simelis based at Oxford University handed in his thesis this week.
Klem’s research looked at the “Development of Chemical Tools for Ten-Eleven Translocation Enzymes”.
A summary of his project follows:
Methylation of DNA (5-methylcytosine) is an epigenetic mark that typically silences gene expression. Ten-Eleven Translocation enzymes (TETs) oxidise the methyl groups of 5-methylcytosine, forming epigenetic DNA marks with distinct functions and facilitating DNA demethylation by other cellular mechanisms, which restores gene expression. The work discussed in the thesis is focused on: i) broadening the understanding of how these enzymes work using biochemical assays to detect catalytic activity, and ii) developing small molecule and cyclic peptide TET inhibitors that can be used as chemical tools to probe the function of TETs in both in vitro and in cellulo environments.
Well done on all your hard work Klem!