Laying the foundation for fighting hereditary diseases
Molecular biologist Timothy J. Richmond has dedicated his research to decoding the structure of the nucleosome, the basic component of chromosomes, at atomic resolution. This entity, present in all living cells except bacteria and viruses, is the first packaging level of DNA, the substance that carries hereditary information. Knowing its exact structure means that we can understand the precise role of this basic structural unit and the way it functions. Richmond’s findings thus provide a basis for further investigation into gene regulation processes, and so may allow us a better understanding of why genetic malfunctions occur.