Title:

Biography: Dr Mahadeo is an Associate Professor, leading a research group at University College London in the UK. She has been a principal investigator actively involved in medical research since 1992 and has carved a niche in studying how transcriptional regulation of gene expression can control the fate of normal cells and changes that contribute to diseases e.g. cardiovascular disease or cancer. Our research has been primarily based on analysing the molecular mechanisms through which transcriptional master regulators control gene expression and cell fate in different tissues and under different conditions. Specifically, we have focused on the POU IV subgroup of homeobox transcription factors, which includes POU4F1/Brn-3a and POU4F2/Brn-3b that can drive complex changes in multiple cellular processes such as cell specification, proliferation and survival/apoptosis, in a tissue-specific manner. Pioneering studies undertaken by this research group has shown how these DNA binding proteins can mediate diverse effects on gene expression and cell fate by interaction with other co-expressed regulators e.g. p53, thereby increasing the complexity by which expression and cell fate are governed. Our recent research, using in-vivo studies (knockout mice) or in-vitro models (using shRNA or siRNA targeting) have identified novel and important functions for this family of transcription factors in maintaining cardio-metabolic homeostasis since loss of regulators such as Brn-3b can cause metabolic dysfunction e.g. hyperglycaemia/insulin resistance and associated adverse cardiovascular remodelling altered responses to cardiac stress. Our research will be pivotal for helping to understand the complex mechanisms that control gene expression and cell fate during development and to identify changes that can lead to pathological responses to injury or cause cardiovascular diseases.