Michael D. Bulger, Ph.D.

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Dr. Bulger is interested in the interplay between tissue-specific gene expression and large-scale patterns of chromatin structure, as well as mechanisms by which enhancers and locus control regions (LCRs) mediate gene activation over large genomic distances. He addresses these questions using genes up-regulated or specifically expressed during late erythroid differentiation, including the b-globin genes, as models. Ongoing or planned projects in his lab include:

(1) Modeling the formation of active chromatin domains in different experimental systems, including stably integrated transgenes in cell culture and reconstituted minichromosomes in cell-free extracts, in order to determine the cis-acting sequences and DNA-binding protein factors involved in their establishment and maintenance;

(2) Characterizing non-genic transcription within the b-globin locus, as well as other loci, and investigating the relationship between such transcription and domain-wide gene regulation;

(3) Identifying factors that facilitate enhancer-promoter and/or LCR-promoter communication at the b-globin locus, in order to gain clues as to how such communication occurs;

(4) Identifying factors that bind to 3'HS1 of the b-globin locus, which is the most prominent site of attachment to nuclear matrix at this region, in order to investigate the relationship between nuclear architecture and gene expression;

(5) Investigating the role of serine protease inhibitors (serpins) in chromatin condensation and gene regulation in differentiating erythroid cells.

Education
PhD Biology	University of California at San Diego	1996
BS Molecular and Cell Biology	Pennsylvania State University	1990

Post-Doctoral Training & Residency
Postdoctoral Fellowship, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA.	1996 - 2003

Fellowship Awards
Helen Hay Whitney Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship	1997 - 2000
National Science Foundation Graduate Fellowship	1991 - 1994
Powell Graduate Fellowship, University of California, San Diego	1990 - 1991

Recent Journal Articles
Showing the 5 most recent journal articles. (24 available)
Hu X; Eszterhas S; Pallazzi N; Bouhassira EE; Fields J; Tanabe O; Gerber SA; Bulger M; Engel JD; Groudine M; Fiering S. "Transcriptional interference among the murine beta-like globin genes." Blood. 2007; 109(5):2210-6. Epub 2006 Oct 31.
Hu X; Bulger M; Bender MA; Fields J; Groudine M; Fiering S. "Deletion of the core region of 5' HS2 of the mouse beta-globin locus control region reveals a distinct effect in comparison with human beta-globin transgenes." Blood. 2006; 107(2):821-6. Epub 2005 Sep 27.
Kingsley PD; Malik J; Emerson RL; Bushnell TP; McGrath KE; Bloedorn LA; Bulger M; Palis J. ""Maturational" globin switching in primary primitive erythroid cells." Blood. 2006; 107(4):1665-72. Epub 2005 Nov 01.
Bender MA; Byron R; Ragoczy T; Telling A; Bulger M; Groudine M. "Flanking HS-62.5 and 3' HS1, and regions upstream of the LCR, are not required for beta-globin transcription." Blood. 2006; 108(4):1395-401. Epub 2006 Apr 27.
Bulger M. "Hyperacetylated chromatin domains: lessons from heterochromatin." The Journal of biological chemistry. 2005; 280(23):21689-92. Epub 2005 Apr 19.