A novel area of great promise in medical genetics is the epigenetics of non-Mendelian complex disorders. There is an increasing body of evidence that complex diseases such as cancer, schizophrenia or Alzheimer's disease may exhibit disease specific epigenetic patterns, which can be identified by epigenetic profiling methods.

Our research projects are dedicated to a detailed epigenetic analysis of the genome in common non-Mendelian neurobehavioural disorders such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, Alzheimer's disease, frontotemporal dementia and other complex disorders.

In collaboration with other groups, we developed a detailed high-throughput microarray-based method of profiling of DNA modification on a genome-wide scale. Fine-mapping of epigenetic profiles is done by Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization Time-of-flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) and other technologies.

We work on the question how drugs interact with the epigenome and how this knowledge can be used to design new classes of epigenetic drugs. Pharmacoepigenomics attempts to understand the mechanisms of therapeutic action of epigenetic agents and also how inter-individual epigenetic differences result in different drug responses.