Lee Wong PhD

Dr. Lee Wong is a group leader at Monash University, Australia. Her long-standing research interest is to identify new chromatin factors that control chromosome stability and genetic transmission. In particular, her team aims to uncover basic epigenetic mechanisms that regulate centromere and telomere function. Recent studies have identified the frequent mutations of histone variant H3.3 and its chaperone ATRX in human cancers, especially, in telomerase null cancer that use an ALT (Alternative Lengthening of telomeres) for telomere elongation. One of their current project aims to define the function histone variant H3.3 and its chaperone ATRX in controlling transcription silencing at the telomeres and in the global genome. They are also interested in defining epigenetic defects associated with the loss of ATRX function in human ALT cancer cells.

After completing a Bachelor of Science Degree at Monash University I undertook an Honours year in the Interferon Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology under the supervision of Dr Stephen Ralph. I continued on with the same project into my Ph.D. The focus of my PhD study involved the investigation of the components in interferon signaling pathway and the elucidation of the mechanism underlying the resistance of melanoma to interferon treatment. After my PhD, I worked as a postdoctoral fellow with Prof Andy Choo at Murdoch Childrens Research Institute to study chromosome biology. I have recently established a new research group at the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. Our aim is to establish ourselves as internationally competitive researchers in the fields of chromosome and epigenetic research in stem cells and cancers. Our research objectives are: 1) to understand the mechanism underlying the establishment and regulation of centromere and telomere chromatin in stem cells and cancers; 2) to understand epigenetic reprogramming during stem cell differentiation and early embryo development.