Minggang Fang
| Assistant Professor |  |
|
| Ph.D.: 2008, University of British Columbia | ||
| Postdoctoral research: UMass Chan Medical School | ||
| Office: | UMass Chan Medical School 364 Plantation Street, LRB-670-B Worcester, MA 01605 |
|
| Phone: | 508-856-5335 | |
| Email: | Minggang.Fang@umassmed.edu | |
Research
My research interests are focused on understanding epigenetic and transcriptional dysregulation in 13 human disease. Mis-regulated expression of a specific gene is the underlying cause of several monogenic rare genetic disorders. In some instances, the mis-regulated gene is transcriptionally repressed through a process called epigenetic silencing. In these cases, reactivation of the epigenetically silenced gene represents a potential therapeutic approach. As a first step toward developing therapeutics that can reactivate expression of an epigenetically silenced gene, I have developed experimental approaches to first identify the factors responsible for transcriptional repression, and then based upon this information, find small molecule inhibitors of these factors that can reactivate expression of the silenced gene. I have used this general approach to identify small molecule inhibitors that can reactivate specific genes whose silencing underlie neurodevelopmental diseases including Fragile X Syndrome and Friedreich ataxia.