Tony Southall

Dr. Tony Southall is an Associate Professor in Molecular Genetics at the Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Imperial College London. His research focuses on chromatin remodelling and gene regulatory networks during neuronal maturation in the developing nervous system, using Drosophila as a model organism.

Education: PhD in Molecular Genetics from the University of Glasgow (2000–2004).

Research Interests: Dr. Southall’s lab investigates how chromatin remodelling drives neuronal differentiation, with a focus on complexes like Condensin and NuRD. They developed techniques such as Targeted DamID (TaDa) and CATaDa to study cell-type-specific chromatin accessibility and transcriptional states. These methods enable high-resolution profiling of DNA-binding proteins and RNA polymerase II occupancy in vivo.

Publications: Recent work includes studies on Sex-lethal’s role in neuronal tRNA synthesis, NuRD-independent Mi-2 activity in gene repression, and the AGES gene expression system in Drosophila. His research bridges epigenetics, developmental biology, and neurobiology, with applications in understanding stem cell differentiation and neural circuit formation.

Affiliations: Cell and Developmental Biology, Stem Cell Regenerative Medicine Network. His work integrates genetic, genomic, and biochemical approaches to uncover mechanisms underlying neurodevelopmental processes.