Sari Pennings
Senior Lecturer, SFHEA
Address
- Street
-
Queen's Medical Research Institute
Edinburgh Bioquarter
47 Little France Crescent - City
- Edinburgh
- Post code
- EH16 4TJ
Postgraduate teaching
Postgraduate Research Director, Centre for Cardiovascular Science
MScR in Biomedical Sciences (Life Sciences) - Course Organiser 'Genes and Disease'
Postgraduate Committee, Centre for Cardiovascular Science - Member
PhD Supervisor
Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA, 2021)
Open to PhD supervision enquiries?
Yes
Research summary
We investigate the dynamics of epigenetic DNA methylation and histone modifications essential for early development, cell lineage differentiation, and cell fate reprogramming during the life course. These marks create an epigenetic ‘landscape’ that supports cell type specific gene regulatory networks but can also provide an epigenetic readout of disease, environmental exposure, and ageing. We study these epigenetic mechanisms in tissue specification, including cardiovascular development, the developmental origins of disease, and the effects of metabolism and environmental pollution. Our research interests centre on chromatin-mediated gene repression mechanisms and chromatin remodelling in gene activation in the cell nucleus of mammalian and vertebrate embryos and organ tissues, stem cells, reprogrammed cells and yeast-based models. We have discovered that heterochromatin matures late in development but is induced early in mouse embryonic stem cells; and that epigenetic marks can rapidly adapt to cell culture environment.
Current research interests
Keywords: Epigenetics, Chromatin, Development, Cardiovascular, Environmental Exposure, Cell Metabolism, Stem Cells, Cell Reprogramming, Histone Modification, DNA MethylationKnowledge exchange
Carnegie Trust for the Universities Scotland – Assessor
BBSRC Committee C Core Member; Committees D and TDRF Pool of Experts – Grant Awarding Panel member (2009-2016; 2023 - current)
BSc MSci Biomedical Sciences programmes at Newcastle University – External Examiner (2016-2020)
Global Undergraduate Awards, Dublin – Life Sciences Judging Panel member
Research activities
- Edinburgh Chromatin, Epigenetics and Transcriptional Regulation Network
- Supervisor Briefing: College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine
- Edinburgh Chromatin, Epigenetics and Transcriptional Regulation Network
- Edinburgh Chromatin, Epigenetics and Transcriptional Regulation Network
- Edinburgh Chromatin, Epigenetics and Transcriptional Regulation Network
- Edinburgh Chromatin, Epigenetics and Transcriptional Regulation Network to
- External Examiner BSc/MSci programmes - Newcastle University to
- The Carnegie Trust for the Universities of Scotland (External organisation) to
- International Journal of Molecular Sciences (Journal) to
- The Global Undergraduate Awards (External organisation) to
- EASTBIO BBSRC Doctoral Training Partnership (External organisation) to
- Edinburgh Chromatin, Epigenetics and Transcriptional Regulation Network
- Edinburgh Chromatin, Epigenetics and Transcriptional Regulation Network
- Edinburgh Chromatin, Epigenetics and Transcriptional Regulation Network
- International Journal of Molecular Sciences (Journal) to
-
Activation of transcription factor circuity in 2i-induced ground state pluripotency is independent of repressive global epigenetic landscapes
In:
Nucleic Acids Research
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/nar/gkaa529
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published) -
DNA Methylation Directs Polycomb-Dependent 3D Genome Re-organization in Naive Pluripotency
(18 pages)
In:
Cell Reports, vol. 29, pp. 1974-1985.e6
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2019.10.031
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published) -
Dynamics and Mechanisms of DNA Methylation Reprogramming
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-814879-2.00002-9
Research output: › Chapter (Published) -
The Stem Cell Niche: Interactions between Stem Cells and Their Environment
In:
Stem Cells International
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/4879379
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Editorial (E-pub ahead of print) -
DNA methylation as a genomic marker of exposure to chemical and environmental agents
(9 pages)
In:
Current opinion in chemical biology, vol. 45, pp. 48-56
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cbpa.2018.02.006
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Review article (Published) -
Cardiac stem cells in the postnatal heart: lessons from development
In:
Stem Cells International
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/1247857
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Review article (Published) -
Antibody-based detection of global nuclear dna methylation in cells, tissue sections, and mammalian embryos
(22 pages)
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-7481-8_4
Research output: › Chapter (Published) -
Antibody based detection of global nuclear DNA methylation in cells, tissue sections and mammalian embryos
Research output: › Chapter (peer-reviewed) (E-pub ahead of print) -
Shoring up DNA methylation and H3K27me3 domain demarcation at developmental genes
(2 pages)
In:
EMBO Journal, vol. 36, pp. 3407-3408
DOI: https://doi.org/10.15252/embj.201798498
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Review article (Published) -
Sas3 and Ada2(Gcn5)-dependent histone H3 acetylation is required for transcription elongation at the de-repressed FLO1 gene
In:
Nucleic Acids Research, vol. 45
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/nar/gkx028
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published) -
Lsh is essential for maintaining global DNA methylation levels in amphibia and fish and interacts directly with Dnmt1
In:
BioMed Research International
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1155/2015/740637
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published) -
Epigenetic reprogramming in mammalian cell differentiation, transdifferentiation and dedifferentiation.
In:
CABI Reviews, vol. 10
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1079/PAVSNNR201510012
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published) -
Rapid reprogramming of epigenetic and transcriptional profiles in mammalian culture systems
(17 pages)
In:
Genome Biology, vol. 16
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s13059-014-0576-y
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published) -
The yeast Cyc8-Tup1 complex cooperates with Hda1p and Rpd3p histone deacetylases to robustly repress transcription of the subtelomeric FLO1 gene
(14 pages)
In:
BBA - Bioenergetics, vol. 1839, pp. 1242-55
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbagrm.2014.07.022
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published) -
Sequential effects of spadetail, one-eyed pinhead and no tail on midline convergence of nephric primordia during zebrafish embryogenesis
In:
Developmental Biology, vol. 384
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ydbio.2013.07.002
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published) -
The CXXC-TET bridge--mind the methylation gap!
(2 pages)
In:
Cell Research (CR), vol. 23, pp. 973-4
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/cr.2013.71
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Editorial (Published) -
Non-canonical functions of the DNA methylome in gene regulation
(11 pages)
In:
Biochemical Journal, vol. 451, pp. 13-23
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1042/BJ20121585
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published) -
DNA methylation in mammalian and non-mammalian organisms
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5772/38181
Research output: › Chapter (peer-reviewed) (Published) -
Histone H4K20me3 and HP1 alpha are late heterochromatin markers in development, but present in undifferentiated embryonic stem cells
(13 pages)
In:
Journal of Cell Science, vol. 124, pp. 1878-1890
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1242/jcs.080721
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published) -
Apoptosis and DNA methylation
(23 pages)
In:
Cancers, vol. 3, pp. 1798-820
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers3021798
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published)
Organiser
Edinburgh Chromatin, Epigenetics & Transcriptional Regulation Network, Joint Organiser
https://twitter.com/EdinEpigenetics
Edinburgh Metabolism Research Theme meetings, 27 Jan 2023 and 23 Jan 2024, Joint Organiser
Special Issue on 'The Stem Cell Niche: Interactions between Stem Cells and Their Environment' for 'Stem Cells International' - Lead Guest Editor
https://www.hindawi.com/journals/sci/si/210687/
Special Issue on 'Epigenetic Connections between the Gene Regulatory Network and Chromatin Dynamics' for 'International Journal of Molecular Sciences (IJMS)' - Guest Editor
https://www.mdpi.com/journal/ijms/special_issues/chromatin_epigenetics_transcription
I have championed Public Engagement with Research at the University of Edinburgh since 2010, and I continue to work towards developing higher impact strategies and more effective integration of public engagement within research projects.
My Public Engagement extracurricular activities include:
Public Engagement Committee, Centre for Cardiovascular Science - Academic Lead and Co-Chair
Public Engagement Forum of the College of Medicine & Veterinary Medicine - Co-Chair (2017-2019)
Public Engagement Strategy Group of the University of Edinburgh - Member (2018-2019)
Public Engagement Family Events organised jointly by Centres of the College of Medicine & Veterinary Medicine - Coordinator (2017-2019)
Public Engagement 'Healthy Heart!' by the Centre for Cardiovascular Science at Edinburgh Science Festival - Organiser (2010-2016)
CVS Staff and Students demonstrate hands-on science at Edinburgh Science Festival