Leighton Core

Leighton Core is an Associate Professor in the Department of Molecular and Cell Biology and Genetics and Genomics at the University of Connecticut. His research focuses on understanding how RNA transcription and processing influence cellular states during development and disease progression. Using genomic techniques and bioinformatics, his lab identifies transcriptional signatures of cell types and elucidates fundamental transcription mechanisms.

Education:

• PhD in Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University
• Postdoctoral Training: Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University
• Bachelor’s Degree in Biology, Boston College

Research Interests:

Core’s lab investigates RNA transcription dynamics, particularly how changes in transcription and processing drive cellular responses. Key areas include enhancer activity, paused RNA polymerase II regulation, and the interplay between transcriptional mechanisms and cellular states. Techniques employed include PRO-seq and chromatin run-on sequencing to map transcriptional landscapes.

Publications:

Recent work highlights contributions to understanding transcriptional regulation in cancer (e.g., glioblastoma), epigenetic mechanisms (e.g., histone acetylation), and novel methodologies like optimized PRO-seq. Over 30 peer-reviewed articles span topics from centromere biology to stem cell differentiation.

Labs/Teams:

Leads a research group focused on transcriptional genomics, collaborating on projects involving cancer epigenetics and developmental biology.