Cookies on this website

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you click 'Accept all cookies' we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies and you won't see this message again. If you click 'Reject all non-essential cookies' only necessary cookies providing core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility will be enabled. Click 'Find out more' for information on how to change your cookie settings.

Helena Francis

MSci, BA, ATCL


DPhil Student

I am currently a 2nd year DPhil student on the Wellcome Trust Chromosome and Developmental Biology programme. My work in Doug Higgs' lab focuses on the function of enhancer elements in gene regulation, using the mouse α-globin locus as a model.  

By pulling apart the sequence of a single enhancer, I aim to hone in on the nuts and bolts of the protein-DNA and protein-protein interactions that regulate expression of the α-globin gene. As such, my project asks how functional readout from RNA data links to molecular annotation of the locus gained from techniques such as ATAC-seq, ChIP-seq and Capture-C.