Roel Van Driel

POSITION I am an emeritus professor in Biochemistry at the University of Amsterdam (retired 2010).

RESEARCH My research focussed on the human chromatin in its natural environment, i.e. the nucleus of cultured living human cells. Aspects, such as the dynamic folding of the chromatin fiber inside the nucleus and local chemical modification of histones and DNA at genetic loci, are the physical and chemical basis for epigenetic regulation of gene expression. In my group we worked parallel on human cells and plant cells, making use of their similarity in mechanisms and their complementary experimental approaches. In addition we have analyse the dynamics and molecular mechanisms of the formation in living cells of multi-protein complexes on the DNA that are responsible for DNA repair after UV damage. In these studies we collaborated with different physicists in making predictive computational models based on quantitative experimental data. Such models gave remarkable insight into underlying molecular dynamic prosesses.

PUBLICATION A list of publication for the period 2006 - 2016 can be found as a data file.

EXPERTISE Cell biology, quantitative confocal microscopy, chromatin structure and dynamics, nuclear organisation, epigenetics

CURRENT ACTIVITIES I have been and still am involved in a number of national and European activities in the field of systems biology. This includes particpating in the the building of a European ESFRI research infrastructure for systems biology (ISBE: Infrastructure for Systems Biology Europe: http://project.isbe.eu/).