Michael L. Atchison

Michael L. Atchison is a Professor in the Department of Biomedical Sciences at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine. His research focuses on the molecular mechanisms of transcriptional regulation, epigenetics, and lineage commitment in B and T cells.

• Ph.D. in Cell and Molecular Biology from New York University School of Medicine (1983)
• B.S. in Biology from SUNY at Albany (1977)

Atchison investigates how the transcription factor YY1 influences hematopoietic lineage plasticity through long-distance DNA interactions and epigenetic modifications. His work explores YY1's role in stabilizing B/T cell commitment, chromatin structure, and immunoglobulin gene regulation.

Recent studies highlight YY1's impact on 3D chromatin architecture, X-chromosome inactivation dynamics, and oncogenic processes. His work spans immunology, molecular biology, and epigenetic mechanisms.

Atchison's lab includes visiting scientists (Frank Wilkinson, Arindam Basu), research specialists (Suchita Hodawadekar), and research associates (Sarmistha Banerjee). He directs the NIH/Boehringer-Ingelheim Summer Research Program and the VMD|PhD Program.