Epigenetic changes encompass an array of molecular modifications including DNA methylation and changes to the chromatin packaging of DNA by post-translational histone modifications. The structure, dynamics, and chemical properties of chromatin almost completely determines how, when, and which genes are turned on and off. Chromatin remodeling and transcription regulation are tightly controlled under physiological conditions. Deregulation of chromatin remodeling is linked to the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorders but the mechanism is elusive. In order to identify how genomes are deregulated by heterochromatin, Dr. Ryu is performing ChIP genome-wide sequencing combined with RNA-sequencing followed by platform integration analysis. He has found that altered chromatin plasticity is closely linked to the pathogenesis of Huntington’s disease via an expression of ESET (ERG-associated protein with a SET domain), a histone H3K9-specific methyltransferase. Currently, he is conducting research about mechanisms of ESET gene induction and neuronal heterochromatin condensation in Alzheimer’s disease.