Daniel McKay, PhD
Genes make up the blueprints and outline the process of building every living organism.
To ensure that the right genes are activated in the right cells, and in the right amounts at the right time, genes are constantly being regulated by small molecular machines made of proteins. When gene regulation fails, or specific genes are altered through mutation, the body is more predisposed to diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer’s, and autoimmune disorders.
Now, for the first time in animals, the IBGS-supported lab of Daniel McKay, PhD, Associate Professor of Biology in the UNC College of Arts and Sciences and of Genetics at the UNC School of Medicine, has identified a crucial focal point in the regulatory processes that govern cell identity.