Vivid Biology ltd is on pause until 2028 whilst Claudia is living in Madrid, Spain. Claudia is still taking on design work as a freelancer.
The relationship between chromosome structure and gene activity during X inactivation
2015
Edith Heard
Summary of the science
The sex chromosomes are a pair of chromosomes that determine an individual's biological sex. In humans, the sex chromosomes are typically referred to as X and Y, with females having two X chromosomes (XX) and males having one X and one Y chromosome (XY). The X chromosome carries many genes that are important for various biological functions. Genes contain the instructions that an organism requires to function properly and grow. During X inactivation, one of the X chromosomes in female cells is silenced to make sure that males and females are using the same number of genes. The inactive X chromosome folds in a specific way so that most of the genes are hidden and cant be used.
About the research
The Heard group conducts research on epigenetic processes, specifically X-chromosome inactivation, to gain insights into fundamental mechanisms of gene regulation. They investigate the impact of chromatin modifications, chromosome organisation, and non-coding RNAs on gene expression during development and in disease contexts. Their goal is to uncover the intricate workings of these factors and their contributions to gene regulation.
About the illustration