Active Motif's Podcast

In this episode of the Epigenetics Podcast, we talked with Patrick Murphy from Cornell University about his work on gene regulation and cellular identity. Dr. Murphy's research focuses on the molecular mechanisms that govern gene expression through transcriptional and chromatin-based regulatory networks. At the start of the Interview Dr. Murphy describes an innovative single-molecule analytical approach he developed during his early research. This method enables the simultaneous detection of multiple epigenetic marks and contributes to his foundational studies on chromatin biology. Focusing on chromatin states, he introduces the concept of placeholder nucleosomes which are specialised nucleosomes that play key roles in maintaining a permissive chromatin state and facilitating gene activation during embryonic development. The discussion further explores Dr. Murphy's transition from studying Drosophila to working with zebrafish, highlighting his focus on chromatin reprogramming during zygotic genome activat