James Corban, an IPiB graduate student, will be defending his Ph.D. research on May 26, 2026. His research in the Raman Lab developed research methods to identify and characterize proteins associated with epigenetic shifts in mammalian cells.
Epigenetic shifts are heritable changes inside cells that do not modify the DNA sequence. Some are benign, while others are associated with disease. One type of epigenetic shift can occurthrough mistakes in how chromatin (the tightly packed form DNA takes inside cells) is packaged. Chromatin dysregulation can make otherwise obscured regions of the genome accessible to transcription factors. This shift in chromatin accessibility can result in dysregulated production of proteins, and in some cases, lead to diseases such as cancer, including aggressive pediatric cancers. How dysregulations to chromatin disrupt cellular function remains largely unknown.
Corban used PROD-ATAC, a technology developed in the Raman Lab that enables large-scale analysis of chromatin accessibility shifts, to examine chromatin dysregulation in host cells caused by viral transcriptional regulators (vTRs), viral proteins that help viruses regulate host and viral gene expression inside infected cells. By analyzing more than 100 vTRs from over 15 viral families, he identified the mechanisms by which these proteins disrupt host cell chromatin. He then tested how different vTRs, including those from Epstein-Barr virus, HIV, and several herpesviruses, respond to drugs designed to block their access to chromatin.
“Thousands of vTRs have been identified, yet the epigenetic effects of most of these proteins on their host cells remain largely unknown. Our work provided the first large-scale survey of chromatin dysregulation produced by vTRs, and identified many vTRs from completely different viruses which produced similar epigenetic changes,” says Corban.
Building on prior work by former lab mate Max Frenkel examining oncofusions — fusion mutations that drive several cancer types — Corban also applied PROD-ATAC to investigatenew therapeutic interventions to treat Ewing sarcoma, a deadly pediatric cancer caused by several distinct oncofusions. Together with Raman, Corban received a grant from the Little Warrior Foundation for this line of investigation.
Corban plans to pursue a career in industry after he graduates. “I would love to continue my contribution toward the discovery and improvement of innovative therapies,” says Corban. “The technical and analytical skills I have developed during my studies of oncogenic and viral proteinshave positioned me well for roles in assay and tool development.”
When he wasn’t in the lab, Corban could be found in his garden plot at Eagle Heights Community Garden where he has grown both flowers and vegetables. He also volunteered at the Dane County Humane Society and spent time at local arcades honing his pinball skills.
To learn more about Corban’s research, attend his Ph.D. defense, “High-throughput mapping of chromatin dysregulation driven by oncofusions and viral transcriptional regulators” on Tuesday, May 26 at 2:00 p.m. CT in room 1211 of Hector F. DeLuca Biochemistry Laboratories Building.
Written by Renata Solan.