Description of research activities

Our group`s research focuses on the molecular and cell biology of lipid activated transcription factors, so called nuclear receptors. Nuclear hormone receptors are ligand activated transcription factors participating in the regulation of cellular proliferation, differentiation and homeostasis. Members of this receptor superfamily, such as the estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor or the retinoic acid and thyroid hormone receptor are classical endocrine regulators. According to the general model of nuclear receptor action in the absence of ligand receptors are bound to corepressor complexes and transcription is inhibited. Upon binding of agonist ligand, conformational cahnges take place. As a consquence of these events coregulator exchange takes place on the surface of nuclear receptor heterodimers. After the binding of coactivator complexes transcription of target gene is activated.

Despite intensive studies in this field, numerous basic questions are still need to be answered. Our research focuses on the formation and changes of receptor-receptor and receptor-coregulator interactions. We apply flourescent cell imaging techniques to address these questions. By fluorescent correlation spectroscopy (FCS) it is possible to investigate protein-protein interactions in vivo, so we can study the formation and mobility of receptor dimers and receptor-coregulator complexes in living cells.