The group of Prof. Lukas Sommer together with researchers from the UZH Department of Molecular Mechanisms of Disease, UZH Institute of Molecular Life Sciences, and USZ Department of Dermatology published their exciting findings on a new role of the histone methyltransferase EZH2 in melanoma formation.

There have been long indications that digressive function of epigenetic modifiers, such as EZH2, promote progression of cells into a malignant tumor. This study shows that EZH2 emphasizes tumorigenicity through epigenetic silencing of genes relevant for the primary cilium. Interestingly, loss of cilia initiate melanoma formation.

This research came about as part of the Zurich University Research Priority Program ‘‘Translational Cancer Research" and received additional funding from the Swiss National Science Foundation, including a Sinergia grant, the Swiss Cancer League, the Zurich Cancer League, and the Helmut Horten Foundation.

Further information can be found here:
UZH News release, July 2, 2018