Tanel Punga

CURRICULUM VITAE

TANEL PUNGA

Date of birth: July 9, 1974

1. Higher education qualification

September 1999-January 2004

Molecular Virology, Institute of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Uppsala

University, Sweden

2. Doctoral degree

January 30, 2004

Ph.D. in Molecular Virology, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Medical Biochemistry and

Microbiology, Uppsala University, Sweden.

Thesis title: “The Interaction of the Adenovirus E1B-55K Protein with a Histone Deacetylase

Complex:Its Importance in Regulation of P53 Protein Functions”. Supervisor: Prof Göran

Akusjärvi.

3. Postdoctoral positions

September 2008-August 2010

Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland.

April 2004-March 2006

Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Uppsala, Sweden.

4. Qualification required for appointment as a docent

Docent in Molecular Virology at Uppsala University from May 2015

5. Current position

September 2014-present

Researcher, Institute of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Uppsala University

6. Previous positions and periods of appointment

September 2010-August 2014

Assistant Professor (Forskarassistent), Institute of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology,

Uppsala University

7. Interruption in research

Reason From To Extent Total

Parental leave 2006-04-01 2006-10-01 100% 6 months

Parental leave 2008-06-01 2008-09-01 100% 3 months

8. Supervision

PhD student: Sibel Ciftci 2012-2016

PhD student: Raviteja Inturi 2013-2017

PhD student: Kwangchol Kwang 2015-2019

Postdoc: Helen Bergquist 2014-2016

9. Other merits

A) Competitive grants

2015

Åke Wiberg Foundation grant at Uppsala University, Sweden

2014

Marcus Borgströms Foundation grant at Uppsala University, Sweden

Swedish Cancer Society (Cancerfonden) grant at Uppsala University, Sweden

2012

Swedish Research Council (Vetenskapsrådet) grant (VR-Unga Forskare) at Uppsala

University, Sweden

Swedish Cancer Society (Cancerfonden) grant at Uppsala University, Sweden

Åke Wiberg Foundation grant at Uppsala University, Sweden

2011

Swedish Society of Medicine grant at Uppsala University, Sweden

2010

P.O. Zetterlings Stiftelse grant at Uppsala University, Sweden

Forskarassistent position and grant via VR-supported Uppsala RNA Research Centre

(URRC), Uppsala University, Sweden

2008

Swedish Society for Medical Research (SSMF) Postdoctoral stipend at FMI, Switzerland

B) Awards and merits

2011

Research rating “Internationally High Standard” by the International Research Evaluation

Committee (KoF2011) at Uppsala University, Sweden

1996

Estonian Ministry of Education first prize for the B.Sc. Thesis.

EPIGENETIC CONTROL DURING ADENOVIRUS INFECTION

The role of infectious agents in the pathogenesis of human disease has received an increased awareness over the past decades. In particular, virus infections appear to be associated with a number of malignant and metabolic disorders.

Epigenetics is a rapidly growing research field that investigates alterations in gene expression caused by mechanisms other than changes in DNA sequence. Virus infections usually induce various epigenetic modifications to ensure optimal viral replication in the recipient cells. Therefore, our group is interested in understanding how a virus infection alters cellular gene expression patterns by introducing epigenetic changes. We use human adenovirus as a model system for our studies. Using this model system we aim to understand what kind of epigenetic changes associate with lytic and persistent virus infections both in the virus genome as well as in the host cell genome. Our special interest is there concentrated on adenovirus “histone-like” protein named as pVII. At present we are characterizing the biochemical properties and functions of the pVII protein. In addition we study the epigenetic mechanisms involved in the onset of a devastating neurological disease Friedreich ataxia.

Characterization of the causative disruption or dysregulation of normal epigenetic signaling pathways involved in disease development will broaden the general understanding disease pathogenesis and may also lead to the innovation of novel therapeutic applications.