Sheila TevesView profile
Assistant Professor
Sheila Teves is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of British Columbia's Faculty of Medicine, where she holds a Canada Research Chair Tier 2 in Mechanisms of Gene Regulation. Her research program investigates fundamental mechanisms that regulate cellular memory and cell fate decisions through transcriptional regulation. Dr. Teves' primary research interests focus on three interconnected areas: transcriptional memory through the cell cycle, mechanisms of eukaryotic transcription, and equity, diversity, and inclusion in science. Her groundbreaking work has challenged long-held assumptions about mitotic bookmarking and transcription factor behavior during cell division. She employs advanced techniques including gene editing, genomics, and live-cell imaging to study how cells maintain identity through divisions and how transcription is re-established after mitosis. Her recent publications reveal novel insights into TATA-box binding protein (TBP) functions, demonstrating TBP-independent mechanisms for RNA Polymerase II transcription and TBP's role in RNA Polymerase I transcription following mitosis. These findings point to greater diversity in transcription initiation mechanisms than previously recognized, particularly in embryonic stem cells. Canada Research Chair Tier 2 in Mechanisms of Gene Regulation Dr. Teves actively mentors women and underrepresented minorities in science through social media outreach (with over 3000 Twitter followers) and serves on the EDI committee in the Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department. She has published influential work on workplace inclusion in Science (2021) and contributed a chapter titled "The legacy of racism and sexism in the sciences" to the book "Chromatic: Ten meditations on crisis in art and letters" with fellow Wall Scholars.
