Madhav Jagannathan

Madhav Jagannathan is a Professor in the Department of BIO at ETH Zurich. His research focuses on the function of satellite DNA within species and beyond. Specifically, his work explores the role of pericentromeric satellite DNA repeats, which are abundant but poorly understood. While centromeric satellite DNA functions are well characterized, the role of pericentromeric satellite DNA remains unclear. Jagannathan's group investigates why these repeats exist, how they function, and the significance of their divergence. His research challenges the 'junk DNA' hypothesis by highlighting the stability of pericentromeric satellite DNA despite their potential burden on cellular resources.

Madhav Jagannathan is a researcher at ETH Zürich, focusing on Satellite DNA and its functional roles in genome organization and chromosome maintenance. His work explores the mechanisms by which pericentromeric satellite DNA clusters into chromocenters and contributes to nuclear architecture and chromatin dynamics. Jagannathan's research also investigates the role of satellite DNA in hybrid incompatibility, crossover distribution, and nuclear pore complex formation. His studies highlight the importance of satellite DNA in chromosome stability, DNA repair, and cellular processes such as meiotic pairing and nuclear mechanostability. By integrating proteomic and genomic approaches, he aims to uncover the molecular functions of satellite DNA in both model organisms and human biology.