Iva Tchasovnikarova

Iva Tchasovnikarova is a Fellow at the University of Cambridge, affiliated with the School of Biological Sciences. Her research focuses on epigenetics and chromatin, specifically heterochromatin formation and HUSH-mediated silencing. She investigates how disease-associated mutations in chromatin regulators disrupt epigenetic pathways. Her work employs techniques such as CRISPR/Cas9 genetic screens, flow cytometry, ChIP-seq, and RNA-seq. Tchasovnikarova is also associated with the Gurdon Institute and leads a group within Biochemistry.

Iva Tchasovnikarova's research focuses on the molecular mechanisms of epigenetic silencing and heterochromatin formation, particularly through the HUSH complex. Her work explores how the HUSH complex interacts with other proteins such as TRIM28 and MORC2 to repress retrotransposons and new genes. She investigates the role of ATPase modules and their mutations in neurodevelopmental disorders and epigenetic regulation. Additionally, her research includes the study of E3 ubiquitin ligase complexes, CRISPR screening, and the development of tools like TRACE and DIVA for analyzing chromatin architecture and epigenetic pathways. Her studies highlight the importance of these mechanisms in immune responses and viral interactions.