Regulation of Stem Cell pluripotency and differentiation and role of POU transcription factors

Stem cell technology is a rapidly evolving field, that is providing insights into the molecular mechanisms determining cell behaviour, function and fate. Combined with genome editing and manipulation of gene expression, these approaches have vast potential in medical applications with some extraordinary successes so far.
In order to explore the full potential of these technologies, it is essential to understand how pluripotency is controlled and what drives differentiation of stem cells into specialised cells.
The POU transcription factors are important players in these processes, but their dynamics, mechanisms and regulatory landscapes are far from unravelled. This project aims to identify the target genes of the most relevant factors in this family: Oct-4, Oct-1 and Oct-6, and how their function is coordinated to maintain the pluripotent state or drive differentiation.