Any cell in an organism includes all genes of that organism's genome. The difference in structure and function of cells results from epigenetic silencing of 'unnecessary genes' which occurs in great part by DNA methylation. Taking control of the epigenome is a novel and exciting biomedical challenge. Moreover, in disease the aberrant DNA methylation in key regulatory areas (e.g. promoters) can inhibit gene transcription. DNA methylation abnormalities are increasingly found in numerous pathologies, however we usually cannot say if these abnormalities are in fact causative for the disease. This field enables novel therapeutic and experimental approaches via epigenetic mechanisms, however a number of challenges have been preventing novel therapeutics of this kind.

We develop custom-designed molecules comprised of putative DNA demethylases fused with sequence-specific DNA binding domains and use these tools to re-activate or enhance the silenced intrinsic genes in cells. In contrast to existing techniques, targeted demethylation opens a specific gene promoter to adaptive, context-appropriate activation in situ, and offers superior potential to future therapeutic regulatory tactics, not only in epigenetically-mediated disease mechanisms but more broadly where gene function enhancement is desirable. Epigenter develops protein-based 'biologics' that enable epigenetic editing in vivo without the need for transgenesis or complex packaging tools.

Alexey V. Fedulov MD, PhD, and David J. Gregory PhD, the co-founders of Epigenter, began their collaboration in epigenetic editing when they were researchers at Harvard School of Public Health. The work has continued in Dr. Fedulov’s lab after his transition to faculty at Harvard Medical School, and has expanded after he joined Brown in 2017. Throughout these years Dr. Gregory has been tightly involved into the design and testing of epi-editor constructs as an external consultant. 

Dr. Fedulov is trained as an MD in Internal Medicine and has a PhD in Immunology and Allergy; his postdoctoral training at Harvard focused on epigenetics and inflammation. Dr. Gregory is an Oxford graduate with a PhD in gene expression from the University of Dundee; he has trained at McGill and Harvard in host-pathogen interactions.