Dr Karen Mifsud
BSc (HONS), PhD(Lond.)
Current positions
Lecturer in Behavioural Genetics / Epigenetics
Bristol Veterinary School
Contact
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Research interests
As a Research Fellow within the Neuro-Epigenetic Research Group I am interested in the regulation of signalling, epigenetic and genomic process which occur in the brain following stress. Our group is particularly interested in the function of the hippocampus under baseline conditions, and after stress, in regulating the HPA axis and facilitating adaptive responses towards stress resilience. Personally I am also very interested in understand how the extracellular matrix can influence adaptive learning processes.
In order to pursue these investigations we have developed novel advanced chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) methods to understand protein-DNA interactions including sequential and tandem ChIP (Mifsud & Reul, PNAS, 2016). Other techniques used in our lab include immunohistochemistry, RNA extraction and analysis, quantitative PCR, RNAScope, western blotting, radioimmunoassays and ELISA.
Projects and supervisions
Research projects
Role of corticosteroid receptor DNA binding in stress-induced hippocampal gene transcription in relation to glucocorticoid and behavioural responses
Principal Investigator
Role
Co-Principal Investigator
Managing organisational unit
Bristol Medical School (THS)Dates
01/10/2016 to 31/08/2020
Publications
Recent publications
07/03/2023Genomic regulation of Krüppel-like-factor family members by corticosteroid receptors in the rat brain
Neurobiology of Stress
Responding to Stress: Genomic and Nongenomic Actions of Corticosteroid Receptors in the Brain
Stress: Genetics, Epigenetics and Genomics
Distinct regulation of hippocampal neuroplasticity and ciliary genes by corticosteroid receptors
Nature Communications
Unexpected effects of metyrapone on corticosteroid receptor interaction with the genome and subsequent gene transcription in the hippocampus of male rats
Journal of Neuroendocrinology
Mineralocorticoid and glucocorticoid receptor-mediated control of genomic responses to stress in the brain
Stress