Luk Laboratory

Ed Luk, PhD

Associate Professor

Renaissance School of Medicine

Stony Brook University

Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology

Our Research

My research team studies fundamental processes that regulate access of genetic information encoded in our DNA.  We focus on histone proteins, exploring how chromatin—formed when DNA coils around histones into distinct structures along the genome—modulates the accessibility of the underlying sequence information.  Functioning like a Google search engine for our genome, chromatin guides sequencing-specific factors to their target sites more efficiently amidst a sea of distracting information.  By modulating the position, composition, and stability of histone-DNA complexes, chromatin structures block non-physiological binding sites and direct sequencing-specific factors to designated targets, thereby facilitating their precise cellular functions.  We employ a diverse array of techniques, spanning biochemistry, genetics, genomics, computational biology, and structural biology, to unravel the principles governing gene expression and their impact on human health.