Aayushi Jain, an IPiB graduate student, will be defending her Ph.D. research on October 30, 2024. Her research in the Lewis Lab investigated the roles of the histone chaperone DAXX, which facilitates depositing histone H3.3 into nucleosomes.
Mammalian genomes contain remnant genetic material of retroviruses (RNA viruses that can use their RNA to make viral DNA). These elements, termed endogenous retroviruses, can compromise genome stability if not properly silenced. DAXX plays an essential role in this silencing process, suppressing the activity of these repetitive genetic elements.
“My research was about figuring out where DAXX goes in the genome. DAXX is going to very specific locations in the genome — areas that make up less than 2% of the genome. I wanted to know more about what its role is and how it works,” says Jain.
Jain’s research found evidence that DAXX helps to silence repetitive elements in the genome. She also identified which domains of DAXX are important for its specific localization and its ability to deposit histones onto DNA.
Jain’s interest in research began as an undergraduate student at the Indian Institute of Technology in Delhi, India. Through the Khorana Program, which supported students from India who are interested in exploring research in the U.S., Jain spent a summer working the Vierstra Lab at UW–Madison. When it was time to apply to graduate school, she was eager to return.
Jain was drawn to doctoral research that would puzzle together basic functions with an eye toward human health. “One thing that interested me in joining the Lewis Lab is that we are pushing the envelope in terms of fundamental research, but with implications for human health and wellbeing,” says Jain.
During her time as a graduate student, Jain volunteered with WINStep Forward to support and mentor students who traveled from India to spend a summer researching in Madison.
“I was able to act as peer mentor for students in all different programs: physics, astrophysics, computer science, biology-related fields. I got to help young scientists communicate their science to broader audience and moderate scientific discussions. But, just as importantly, I could be a support system for people away from home,” says Jain.
After graduating, Jain will continue working as a postdoctoral researcher in the Lewis Lab before seeking further training in bioinformatics and pursuing a career in industry.
To learn more about Jain’s research, attend her Ph.D. defense, “Mechanistic insights into nucleosome assembly and silencing of retro-viral derived transposable elements by H3.3 chaperone DAXX” on Wednesday, October 30 at 10:30 p.m. CT in Room 1211 of Hector F. DeLuca Biochemical Sciences Building.
Written by Renata Solan.