2025 Kimberly Prize Winner Announced
Ron Evans, PhD, recognized for discovering nuclear hormone receptors
Read MoreDr. Lillian Eichner Honored by American Cancer Society
Breaking Barriers Award and Celebrating Excellence in Female Leadership
Read MoreUpcoming Meetings
Our Mission
Epigenetic-driven insights are proving to be fundamental to a myriad of diseases including cancer, heart, immunologic and neurological conditions. The mission of the Simpson Querrey Institute for Epigenetics at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine is the investigation of the link between environmental factors in the regulation of the expression of genes packaged within our chromatin. Such studies shall define how the misregulation of epigenetic processes can result in pathological conditions and how we can take advantage of such molecular information for developing treatments through targeted therapeutics.
We will work very hard to develop a deeper molecular understanding of the machinery involved in the regulation of epigenetics with an eye for developing targeted therapeutics for the treatment of diseases due to epigenetic abnormalities. These efforts, we expect, shall lead to more personalized medicine and a better quality of life."
Research
The institute brings together experts in biochemistry, molecular genetics, computational biology, fundamental biology, epidemiology and clinical medicine to develop foundational insights about how environmental conditions – including emotional experiences, chemical exposure, obesity, exercise, diet and drug therapies – impact the human genome using sophisticated molecular, biochemical and computational methods.
Featured Stories
SQE Membership
Members of Northwestern University’s Simpson Querrey Institute for Epigenetics (SQE) receive invitations to join faculty from both campuses in coming together to engage in collaborative discussions at regularly hosted seminars and events. Membership is open to all faculty, clinicians, students and staff.
Understanding Epigenetics
Chromatin Biology
Watch this original animation, which explains chromatin biology, epigenetics and the regulation of gene activity.
The Simpson Querrey Institute for Epigenetics
We study the effects of environment on the activation and expression of genes.
About Our Name
Our work is supported by the generosity of university trustees and supporters Kimberly K. Querrey and the late Louis A. Simpson ’58. For more than a decade, Simpson and Querrey have consistently supported Northwestern and made possible many strategic initiatives, including the Louis A. Simpson and Kimberly K. Querrey Biomedical Research Center, a 14-story, 600,000-square-foot building that significantly expanded Feinberg’s biomedical research enterprise.
Spotlights
Benjamin Singer, MD, PhD
Benjamin Singer, MD, associate professor of Medicine in the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care, will co-lead a new $12 million National Institutes of Health grant to identify mechanisms that determine how lung neutrophils drive tissue injury, inflammation and repair in patients with severe pneumonia, lung transplantation and asthma.
Lillian Eichner, PhD
V-Foundation Scholar recipient for her research on Elucidating LKB1-specific vulnerabilities in therapeutic resistance in lung cancer!
Shannon Lauberth, PhD
Research Scholar and funding recipient from the Harold E. Eisenberg Foundation to support her research on RNA based therapeutics for treatment of colorectal cancer!
Lillian Eichner, PhD
Recipient of an American Cancer Society (ACS) Mission Boost Grant titled "Combination Targeted Therapy Approach for KRAS, LKB1-mutant Lung Cancer"
Lu Wang, PhD
Recipient of a US Department of Defense (DOD) grant. The goal of the grant is to further characterize the function of the new gene C11orf53 we identified in lung cancer.
Zibo Zhao, PhD
Recipient of the Lefkofsky foundation grant titled "Catalytic inhibition of COMPASS: development of a novel approach for metastatic breast cancer therapy"
Ali Shilatifard, PhD
Recipient of the 2022 National Cancer Institute Outstanding Investigator Award
Marc Mendillo, PhD
Assistant Professor Marc Mendillo, PhD receives NIH/NIGMS R01 grant. Title: Regulation and interplay of Heat Shock Factors in growth-associated proteotoxic stresses
Clara Peek, PhD
Assistant Professor Clara Peek, PhD receives NIH/NIDDK R01 grant. Title: Clock Control of Muscle Glucose Metabolism and HIF Activity
Lillian Eichner, PhD
Assistant Professor Lillian Eichner, PhD receives the NCI Transition Career Development Award (K22)
Lu Wang, PhD
Assistant Professor Lu Wang, PhD receives NIGMS Maximizing Investigators’ Research Award (MIRA) (R35)
Issam Ben-Sahra, PhD
Assistant Professor Issam Ben-Sahra, PhD receives NIH/NIGMS R01 grant funding. Title: Regulation of de novo purine synthesis by the MAPK/ERK pathway
Marta Iwanaszko, PhD
Research Assistant Professor Marta Iwanaszko, PhD receives NCI R50 funding. Title: Computational Approaches for Studying Transcription Elongation Control in Cancer
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