Frank Grosveld
Encyclopedia
Professor Frank Grosveld FRS is a distinguished molecular biologist whose research interests are in the regulation of transcription during development with a particular emphasis on mammalian erythroid differentiation. He obtained his PhD at McGill University
, Montreal and after completing two postdoctoral periods with Charles Weissmann
(Zurich) and Richard Flavell (Amsterdam and London) he started his own research group at the National Institute for Medical Research
, Mill Hill. He is presently a professor and Head of the Department of Cell Biology at the Erasmus MC
, Rotterdam. He is a fellow of the Royal Society
and a member of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences
.
Frank Grosveld has been conducting research on the regulation of gene expression
over thirty years. In his post-doctoral research he constructed the first reliable method for cloning
human DNA cosmid
s - at the time an extremely difficult but rewarding accomplishment that has since been adopted by many other laboratories. By using the globin
gene cluster he made the ground-breaking discovery of a locus control region
located upstream of the gene itself and governing overall control of globin
gene expression
. After this first report, locus control region
s have now been identified for many genes and have permitted for example the ectopic expression
of genes in transgenic mice. In further studies he identified chromatin
loops and the hubs that hold the loops together. His more recent excursions into erythroid differentiation have made the key identification of the transcription factor
GATA1
, a major and unique advance into understanding erythroid cell development. Along with major research advances he has also developed new technologies, such as 4C technology (a modification of the 3C technology invented previously by others) that makes possible examination of chromatin
conformation on a chip and constructed a number of spin off companies. He has mentored a large number of PhDs and postdocs, many of whom have gone on to academic positions all over the world and are now eminent scientists leading groups of their own.
Frank Grosveld's research on the control of globin
gene expression
has been selected as one of the top ten achievements of Medical Research Council (UK)
(MRC) in 20th century by H.E.R.O. (Higher Education and Research Opportunities in the UK)
. He was awarded the Louis-Jeantet Prize for Medicine
(1991) and the Spinozapremie
(Spinoza Prize) (1995). He was selected as academy professor of Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences
in 2008.
McGill University
Mohammed Fathy is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university bears the name of James McGill, a prominent Montreal merchant from Glasgow, Scotland, whose bequest formed the beginning of the university...
, Montreal and after completing two postdoctoral periods with Charles Weissmann
Charles Weissmann
Charles Weissmann is a Hungarian-born Swiss molecular biologist.Weissmann went to Zurich University and obtained his MD in 1956 and Ph. D. in Organic Chemistry in 1961. Weissmann was director of the Institute for Molecular Biology in Zurich, President of the Roche Research Foundation and...
(Zurich) and Richard Flavell (Amsterdam and London) he started his own research group at the National Institute for Medical Research
National Institute for Medical Research
The National Institute for Medical Research, commonly abbreviated to NIMR, is a medical research facility situated in Mill Hill, on the outskirts of London, England. It is mainly funded by the Medical Research Council, or MRC, and is its largest establishment and the only one designated as an...
, Mill Hill. He is presently a professor and Head of the Department of Cell Biology at the Erasmus MC
Erasmus MC
The Erasmus MC is the academic hospital of the city of Rotterdam, The Netherlands. It is affiliated with the Erasmus University of Rotterdam, and home to its faculty of medicine...
, Rotterdam. He is a fellow of the Royal Society
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
and a member of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences
Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences
The Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences is an organisation dedicated to the advancement of science and literature in the Netherlands...
.
Frank Grosveld has been conducting research on the regulation of gene expression
Gene expression
Gene expression is the process by which information from a gene is used in the synthesis of a functional gene product. These products are often proteins, but in non-protein coding genes such as ribosomal RNA , transfer RNA or small nuclear RNA genes, the product is a functional RNA...
over thirty years. In his post-doctoral research he constructed the first reliable method for cloning
Cloning
Cloning in biology is the process of producing similar populations of genetically identical individuals that occurs in nature when organisms such as bacteria, insects or plants reproduce asexually. Cloning in biotechnology refers to processes used to create copies of DNA fragments , cells , or...
human DNA cosmid
Cosmid
A cosmid, first described by Collins and Hohn in 1978, is a type of hybrid plasmid that contains cos sequences, DNA sequences originally from the Lambda phage. Cosmids can be used to build genomic libraries....
s - at the time an extremely difficult but rewarding accomplishment that has since been adopted by many other laboratories. By using the globin
Globin
Globins are a related family of proteins, which are thought to share a common ancestor. These proteins all incorporate the globin fold, a series of eight alpha helical segments. Two prominent members of this family include myoglobin and hemoglobin, which both bind the heme prosthetic group...
gene cluster he made the ground-breaking discovery of a locus control region
Locus Control Region
Locus control regions are defined by their ability to enhance the expression of linked genes to physiological levels in a tissue-specific and copy number-dependent manner at ectopic chromatin sites...
located upstream of the gene itself and governing overall control of globin
Globin
Globins are a related family of proteins, which are thought to share a common ancestor. These proteins all incorporate the globin fold, a series of eight alpha helical segments. Two prominent members of this family include myoglobin and hemoglobin, which both bind the heme prosthetic group...
gene expression
Gene expression
Gene expression is the process by which information from a gene is used in the synthesis of a functional gene product. These products are often proteins, but in non-protein coding genes such as ribosomal RNA , transfer RNA or small nuclear RNA genes, the product is a functional RNA...
. After this first report, locus control region
Locus Control Region
Locus control regions are defined by their ability to enhance the expression of linked genes to physiological levels in a tissue-specific and copy number-dependent manner at ectopic chromatin sites...
s have now been identified for many genes and have permitted for example the ectopic expression
Ectopic expression
Ectopic expression is the expression of a gene in an abnormal place in an organism. This can be caused by a disease, or it can be artificially produced as a way to help determine what the function of that gene is....
of genes in transgenic mice. In further studies he identified chromatin
Chromatin
Chromatin is the combination of DNA and proteins that make up the contents of the nucleus of a cell. The primary functions of chromatin are; to package DNA into a smaller volume to fit in the cell, to strengthen the DNA to allow mitosis and meiosis and prevent DNA damage, and to control gene...
loops and the hubs that hold the loops together. His more recent excursions into erythroid differentiation have made the key identification of the transcription factor
Transcription factor
In molecular biology and genetics, a transcription factor is a protein that binds to specific DNA sequences, thereby controlling the flow of genetic information from DNA to mRNA...
GATA1
GATA1
Erythroid transcription factor also known as GATA-binding factor 1 or GATA-1 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the GATA1 gene....
, a major and unique advance into understanding erythroid cell development. Along with major research advances he has also developed new technologies, such as 4C technology (a modification of the 3C technology invented previously by others) that makes possible examination of chromatin
Chromatin
Chromatin is the combination of DNA and proteins that make up the contents of the nucleus of a cell. The primary functions of chromatin are; to package DNA into a smaller volume to fit in the cell, to strengthen the DNA to allow mitosis and meiosis and prevent DNA damage, and to control gene...
conformation on a chip and constructed a number of spin off companies. He has mentored a large number of PhDs and postdocs, many of whom have gone on to academic positions all over the world and are now eminent scientists leading groups of their own.
Frank Grosveld's research on the control of globin
Globin
Globins are a related family of proteins, which are thought to share a common ancestor. These proteins all incorporate the globin fold, a series of eight alpha helical segments. Two prominent members of this family include myoglobin and hemoglobin, which both bind the heme prosthetic group...
gene expression
Gene expression
Gene expression is the process by which information from a gene is used in the synthesis of a functional gene product. These products are often proteins, but in non-protein coding genes such as ribosomal RNA , transfer RNA or small nuclear RNA genes, the product is a functional RNA...
has been selected as one of the top ten achievements of Medical Research Council (UK)
Medical Research Council (UK)
The Medical Research Council is a publicly-funded agency responsible for co-ordinating and funding medical research in the United Kingdom. It is one of seven Research Councils in the UK and is answerable to, although politically independent from, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills...
(MRC) in 20th century by H.E.R.O. (Higher Education and Research Opportunities in the UK)
H.E.R.O. (Higher Education and Research Opportunities in the UK)
Higher Education and Research Opportunities in the UK is the official gateway website to the UK higher education system and also serves as an introduction to research organisations and bodies within the UK....
. He was awarded the Louis-Jeantet Prize for Medicine
Louis-Jeantet Prize for Medicine
The Louis-Jeantet Prize for Medicine is awarded annually by the Louis-Jeantet Foundation to biomedical researchers in Europe; the awards are made each April...
(1991) and the Spinozapremie
Spinozapremie
The Spinozapremie is an annual award by the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research of 2.5 million Euro, to be spent on new research. The award is the highest scientific award in the Netherlands...
(Spinoza Prize) (1995). He was selected as academy professor of Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences
Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences
The Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences is an organisation dedicated to the advancement of science and literature in the Netherlands...
in 2008.