| Dr Charles Spillane | ||
| Dr. Charles Spillane SFI Investigator Contact Information Genetics & Biotechnology Department of Biochemistry Lee Maltings 2.10 University College Cork (UCC) Cork Ireland Email: c.spillane@ucc.ie Tel: +353 21 490 4124 Fax: +353 21 490 4259 Education B.Sc (Biotechnology) Dublin City University, Dublin [1988] Grad. Dipl. (Management), Trinity College Dublin [1991] Ph.D (Genetics) Trinity College Dublin [1995] |
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| Teaching | |
| Supervision and assessment of undergraduate and postgraduate research students. | |
| Bioinformatics Practical Course 2005 | |
| The Research Group | |
| Spillane Research Group web page (with lab members, research topics, etc.) | |
| Additional Links | |
| Member
of Royal Irish Academy (RIA) Life Sciences Committee Irish National Representative for E.U. COST Technical Committee on Agriculture, Food Sciences & Biotechnology Irish National Representative for European Plant Science Organisation (EPSO) Director of Genetic Heritage Ireland (formerly IGRCT) 1993 - present Member of Ireland's National Platform for Biodiversity Research |
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| Research Interests | |
| Reproductive Epigenetics and Seed Development |
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| Genomic imprinting and gene dosage requirements are epigenetic processes playing critical roles during seed development in sexually reproducing plants. Little is known at the molecular level regarding such epigenetic processes in plants, despite their importance to seed development and plant breeding. Genomic imprinting is an epigenetic parent-of-origin effect whereby imprinted genes exhibit differential expression levels in the zygote, depending on whether the allele is of maternal or paternal origin. Because imprinted loci are functionally haploid, their disruption can be lethal during early development. Our research group is conducting research on epigenetic regulation of reproduction and seed development in sexual plants, using Arabidopsis thaliana as a model organism. | |
| Apomixis Technology and Reproductive Cloning in Plants - 'Seeds without Sex' |
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| Asexual reproduction (or cloning) is a naturally occurring evolutionary strategy used by many species across the plant and animal kingdoms. Such asexual reproductive strategies result in offspring that are genetic clones of the maternal parent. Little is understood regarding the molecular mechanisms allowing asexual reproduction in either animals or plants. In plants, apomixis is the term used to describe the process of asexual reproduction via plant seeds. Apomictic reproduction occurs naturally in over 400 plant species, yet the apomixis trait is extremely rare within crop genepools. Harnessing of the apomixis process for crop improvement and seed production could generate major benefits in agriculture worldwide. The potential economic value of apomixis for hybrid rice production is estimated at US$2.5 billion per annum. Functional genomic studies of reproduction in apomictic and sexual systems are underway in our research group and in others worldwide to facilitate development of apomixis technology. The benefits of apomixis are highlighted in the Bellagio Apomixis Declaration. | |
Genetics of Polynucleotide Repeat Expansions |
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| Sequence repeats or microsatellite repeats are abundant in many prokaryotic and eukaryotic genomes, where many such repeat loci exhibit polymorphism. In mammals, it has now been shown that expansion of trinucleotide tracts (dynamic mutations) associated with some genes can cause a range of neuronal disorders. The more commonly known trinucleotide repeat expansion disorders include Friedrich's ataxia, Huntingtons disease, myotonic dystrophy and the Spinocerebellar ataxias. The repeat sequence motif, size, and localization of expanded repeats within the respective disease genes varies between disorders and genetically influences the manner in which the trinucleotide repeat expansion causes disease. We are investigating the underlying genetics and epigenetics of polynucleotide repeat expansions using the nematode, C. elegans, as a model organism. | |
Epigenetic regulation by non-coding RNAs |
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| A novel class of RNA molecules called microRNAs have been discovered in recent years to play important regulatory roles in the cell and developmental biology of organisms as diverse as mammals and plants. Most microRNAs typically act to downregulate downstream genes that are under their control, by acting at the post-transcriptional level to reduce RNA or protein levels or timing/location of expression. It is becoming increasingly clear that such microRNAs are responsible for a hithertho unknown and extensive level of 'RNA-based' control of gene expression, cellular proliferation and organismal development. We are investigating possible links between miRNAs and cancer. | |
Science & Technology Policy and Outreach |
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| The advancement of scientific knowledge is generally considered to be
a key driver of social and economic progress in the knowledge economies
of the future. Our research group also has ongoing research activities
in science policy-analysis, communication and outreach on biotechnology-related
issues impacting on economic and social development, particularly relating
to Ireland, EU and to poverty reduction in developing countries. Research in our group is supported by funding from: Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) TEAGASC Walsh Fellowship The Wellcome Trust Health Research Board (HRB) Ireland Cancer Research Ireland Irish Research Council for the Humanities & Social Sciences |
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| Selected Publications | |
| Books |
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Cooper DC, Spillane C, and Hodgkin
T (Eds.) (2000) Broadening the Genetic Bases of Crop Production, IPGRI, FAO: Rome, CABI: Wallingford. 480pp. |
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| Research Papers, Reviews and Book Chapters |
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| Spillane C, Baroux C, Escobar-Restrepo
J-M, Page DR, Laouielle S and Grossniklaus U (2005) Transposons and
tandem repeats are not involved in the control of genomic imprinting
at the MEDEA locus in Arabidopsis. Cold
Spring Harbor Symposia on Quantitative Biology, 69: 1-12. |
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Perspectives, Policy and Outreach-related
publications |
Spillane C and Doyle A (2004) Poverty
alleviation, plant biotechnology and the CGIAR International Agricultural
Research Centres. In: Christou P and Klee H (eds) Handbook
of Plant Biotechnology, Wiley Europe. ISBN: 0-471-85199-X Spillane C (2002), Agricultural Biotechnology and Developing Countries: Proprietary Knowledge and Diffusion of Benefits, in T. Swanson (ed.), Biotechnology, Agriculture and the Developing World, Cheltenham, UK and Northampton, MA, USA: Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd. Spillane C and Pinto Y (2001) Biosafety in agricultural biotechnology: Balancing social and environmental impacts. In: Swanson T (ed). The Economics of Managing Biotechnologies, Springer:Netherlands, pp3-49. Spillane C and Thro AM (2000) Farmer participatory research and pro-poor agricultural biotechnology. Centre for Development Research: Copenhagen, Den Ny Verden Vol 1 (In Danish), 45pp. Spillane C (2000) Can agricultural biotechnology contribute to poverty alleviation? CABI AgBiotechNet, Vol 2 March ABN 042 Spillane C, Engels J, Fassil F, Withers L, Gass T, and Cooper D (1999) Strengthening National Programmes for Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. IPGRI:Rome, Issues in Genetic Resources No. 8. 65pp. |