# MECHANISMS OF DYNAMIC CHROMATIN LOOPING DURING DIFFERENTIATION

> **NIH NIH R35** · UNIV OF NORTH CAROLINA CHAPEL HILL · 2020 · $383,484

## Abstract

ABSTRACT
Chromatin loops spanning tens to hundreds of kilobases link promoter-distal regulatory elements such as
enhancers to the promoters of their target genes. Many of these loops are cell-type specific and are thought to
play a critical role in transcriptional control during cellular differentiation and human development. Recent
progress in our ability to detect these loops has significantly advanced our knowledge regarding the molecular
components of DNA loops; however, the mechanisms and functions of changes in DNA looping during cellular
differentiation remain poorly understood. The goals of our research are to identify the mechanisms through
which cells establish new loops during cellular differentiation and to determine how the resulting structures
contribute to altered transcriptional output. We will accomplish these goals by: (1) mapping loops, regulatory
events, and gene transcription with temporal resolution during cellular differentiation, (2) developing and
applying new software to identify and visualize dynamic looping events, and (3) performing targeted
mechanistic investigations of loops formed during differentiation. The results of this research will determine
both the scope and general principles of DNA loop formation during differentiation, provide new tools for the
gene regulation community, and illuminate the functions of the non-coding human genome.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9969386
- **Project number:** 5R35GM128645-03
- **Recipient organization:** UNIV OF NORTH CAROLINA CHAPEL HILL
- **Principal Investigator:** Douglas H. Phanstiel
- **Activity code:** R35 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $383,484
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2018-07-19 → 2023-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9969386

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9969386, MECHANISMS OF DYNAMIC CHROMATIN LOOPING DURING DIFFERENTIATION (5R35GM128645-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9969386. Licensed CC0.

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