Dr Thomas Dunwell

I completed my PhD at the University of Birmingham in the laboratory of Professor Farida Latif, where I studied epigenetic changes associated with development and progression of both hematopoietic and solid cancers. After this I moved to the City Of Hope National Cancer centre in Los Angles where I worked with Professor Gerd Pfeifer in studying the function of CXXC domain containing DNA binding proteins, specifically the TET-family of DNA methylcytosine oxidases. While doing this work my interests spread into examining and trying to understand the evolution of certain proteins involved in metazoan epigenetics, specifically in placental mammals.

In my current projects I am studying the molecular biology and biochemistry of a small group of DNA binding homeodomain containing proteins with specific interest towards their potential role in very early mammalian development. I am also continuing to following my interest, expanding into larger scale bioinformatics approaches, in studying the evolution and appearance of specific families/groups of proteins during placental mammal evolution.