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Sandra Schick

Genome Regulation by Chromatin Remodelling in Development, Ageing and Disease

Portrait of Sandra Schick
Sandra Schick

The packaging of genomic DNA into chromatin enables its incorporation into the nucleus and provides a means of regulating DNA accessibility and thus all DNA-dependent processes such as transcription, DNA repair or replication. Polymorphic ATP-dependent chromatin remodellers regulate chromatin composition and DNA accessibility. Given their importance, it is not surprising that their dysregulation, for example by mutations in genes encoding subunits of these complexes, is associated with developmental and age-related diseases and can affect lifespan. We use a combination of genomics, proteomics, molecular biology, screening and imaging techniques to dissect the functions of these remodellers under physiological, age- and disease-related conditions in mouse and human model systems. We also aim to elucidate the mechanisms of resilience and ultimately identify novel interventions that could be used for therapeutic purposes.

Research website

Positions held

  • Since 2021: Junior Faculty Member, Max Planck Graduate Center (MPGC), Mainz
  • Since 2020: Group Leader, Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB), Mainz
  • 2016 - 2020: Postdoctoral Researcher, CeMM, Vienna

Education

  • 2016: Dr. rer. nat. in Molecular Biology, Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB), Mainz
  • 2012: Diploma in Biology, Johannes Gutenberg University (JGU), Mainz
  • 2012: Master in Biomedicine, Johannes Gutenberg University (JGU), Mainz
  • 2008: Bachelor in Molecular Biology, Johannes Gutenberg University (JGU), Mainz

Selected publications by Sandra Schick

Schick S*, Grosche S*, Kohl KE*, Drpic D, Jaeger MG, Marella NC, Imrichova H, Lin JMG, Hofstätter G, Schuster M, Rendeiro AF, Koren A, Petronczki M, Bock C, Müller AC, Winter GE and Kubicek S (2021) Acute BAF perturbation causes immediate changes in chromatin accessibility. Nat Genet, 53:269–278 (*indicates joint contribution)  Link

Varga J, Kube M, Luck K and Schick S (2021) The BAF chromatin remodeling complexes: structure, function, and synthetic lethalities. Biochem Soc Trans, 49:1489–1503 Link

Schick S, Rendeiro AF, Runggatscher K, Ringler A, Boidol B, Hinkel M, Májek P, Vulliard L, Penz T, Parapatics K, Schmidl C, Menche J, Boehmelt G, Petronczki M, Müller AC, Bock C and Kubicek S (2019) Systematic characterization of BAF mutations provides insights into intracomplex synthetic lethalities in human cancers. Nat Genet 51:1399-1410 Link

Sdelci S., Rendeiro AF, Rathert P, You W, Lin JG, Ringler A, Hofstätter G, Moll HP, Gürtl B, Farlik M, Schick S, Klepsch F, Oldach M, Buphamalai P, Schischlik F, Májek P, Parapatics K, Schmidl C, Schuster M, Penz T, Buckley DL, Hudecz O, Imre R, Wang SY, Maric HM, Kralovics R, Bennett KL, Müller AC, Mechtler K, Menche J, Bradner JE, Winter GE, Klavins K, Casanova E, Bock C, Zuber J and Kubicek S (2019) MTHFD1 interaction with BRD4 links folate metabolism to transcriptional regulation. Nat Genet 51:990-998 Link

Thakurela S*, Tiwari N*, Schick S, Garding A, Ivanek R, Berninger B and Tiwari VK (2016) Mapping gene regulatory circuitry of Pax6 during neurogenesis. Cell Discov, 2:15045 (*indicates joint contribution) Link