Team:Debrecen Hungary/Team

Nuclear hormone receptors (NHRs) are ligand activated transcription factors. They are able to regulate the expression of their target genes by direct DNA-binding, in a ligand-dependent manner. NHRs bear high homology to each other and are modular into distinct regions: N-terminal regulatory region, DNA-binding domain, a Hinge region, Ligand binding domain (LBD) and a C-terminal region. Some Nematode NHRs can be activated by extracted oil contamination of the soil so they can use as possible oil sensors in the future. Zinc finger motifs are the tools of NHRs to bind DNA and regulate gene expression directly. These tiny elements can be tested as direct gene regulators. Controlled gene induction can also lead to programmed cell death which is a less harmful tool in order to quit non-functionable cells.

Instructors

• Bálint L. Bálint MD. Ph.D.: He graduated at the Semmelweis University, Budapest in 1996. After direct work with patients, Bálint decided to immerse into science and joined Laszlo Nagy's laboratory in Debrecen in 2001 and got his Ph.D. in 2006 in the field of Molecular Biology. Since then he obtained experience in the embryonic stem cells and genome-wide chromatin studies. Bálint is the Laboratory Director of the "Clinical Genomic Centre" at the University of Debrecen, and also the Laboratory Head of UD-GenoMed Medical Genomic Technologies Ltd.
• Bence Dániel: Ph.D. student in the field of molecular biology at the University of Debrecen, Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. He started his scientific work three years ago, since then he dealed with iPS from fibroblasts followed by ligand testing on nuclear receptors and natural ligand finding project for PPARg nuclear receptor. Now he is running on...
• Endre Károly Kristóf: Ph.D. student in Apoptosis Research Group at University of Debrecen after graduating general medicine. His research interest is to investigate the molecular regulation in the interaction between dying cells and phagocytes.
• Gábor Zahuczky Ph.D.: He was graduated as Chemist, English-Hungarian technical translator and also he has a Bsc. degree in business administration. He did his Ph. D. on molecular cloning and characterisation of retroviral proteases and human caspases at the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology in József Tőzsér's lab. Since 2003 he is an integral member of László Fésüs's research team in the same department. Currently he is working on the role of dexamethasone in the enhancement of phagocytosis in macrophages. He is the Managing Director of UD-GenoMed Medical Genomic Technologies Ltd.

Advisors

• Péter Brázda: Peter graduated as a biologist at the University of Debrecen. He became linked to László Nagy's group as an undergraduate student working on the characterisation of a new synthetic nuclear receptor ligand. Later he started working as a Ph.D. student in the same lab focusing on mobility using live cell confocal microscopy.
• Gergely Nagy: ?
• Katalin Sándor: She is a Ph.D. student at the University of Debrecen, Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. She is working at the Apoptosis Signalling Laboratory and dealing with the anti-inflammatory effects of apoptotic cells. As a second-year iGEMer she is happy to help the Team, now as an advisor.

Students:

• Tímea Beregi: She is a Molecular Biology Master student at the University of Debrecen. She is working at the Isntitute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the Nuclear Receptor Research Laboratory for two years. Her interests lie in microRNA (miRNA) and it's diverse effects on gene expression. She views synthetic biology as a part of her future, and hope to be a Ph.D. student next year.
• Éva Bényei: She is studying at the Kossuth Lajos Secondary Teacher Training Grammar School of the University of Debrecen. She wishes to continue her studies in sciences in the future. She has learnt a lot during the time she spent with the iGEM team of Debrecen and she is sure, she will be able to use the knowledge gathered in cell-biology and biochemistry. Also she thinks that it was amazing to participate in the enthusiastic team work.
• Beáta Boros-Oláh: ?
• Lilla Ozgyin: Molecular Biology Master student at University of Debrecen. She started her scientific work about two years ago at the Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, in the Nuclear Hormone Receptor Research Laboratory, and is working with Embrionic Stem Cell feeder cells. She is glad to take part in iGEM for the second time and interested in applying the knowledge gained from iGEM and Synthetic Biology in her future career.
• Petra Sepsi: ?
• Ildikó Tándor: Molecular Biology Master student at University of Debrecen. She is studying the gene expression profiles in rheumatic diseases. She thinks, she has gained valuable experience in lab-work in this iGEM group.