We have two NIH-funded postdoc positions available. We are studying epigenetic regulation of nuclear reprogramming during Xenopus nuclear cloning and iPS cell formation. We have recently discovered that the fusion gene between Oct4 and the transactivation domain of MyoD can radically increase the efficiency of making iPS cells through improved epigenetic modifications at pluripotency genes (Stem Cells, 2011,29; 1349 and Int J Dev Biol, 2010, 54;1589). We further raised the efficiency to 30% through optimization of culture conditions (submitted). We are now developing this project to fully characterize how the MyoD domain reprograms suppressive chromatin structure to open chromatin configuration. In addition, we are purifying novel chromatin remodeling factors from Xenopus egg extract. For more information about our lab, please see http://www.stemcell.umn.edu/faculty/Kikyo_N/home.html. If someone is interested in our lab, please send CV and name, phone and email address of three references to Nobuaki Kikyo, M.D.. Ph.D., Stem Cell Institute, University of Minnesota (kikyo001@umn.edu, phone 612-624-0498).