Western Australian Institute for Medical Research (WAIMR)


http://www.waimr.uwa.edu.au

Dr Archa Fox

Archa Fox

Phone: +61 8 9224 0368
Email: archa.fox@waimr.uwa.edu.au

Dr Archa Fox runs a research group investigating 'gene expression' - a fundamental process in which the information in genes is translated into proteins, the building blocks of the cell. The control of gene expression is essential to all cellular processes and many diseases such as cancer and metabolic disorders are associated with aberrant gene expression.

Specifically, the Fox lab focuses on the role of nuclear organization and non-coding RNA in the control of gene expression in normal and cancer cells.

Archa completed her PhD under the direction of Professor Merlin Crossley at the University of Sydney, working on the interaction between two transcription factors, GATA-1 and FOG-1. Briefly, this work involved identifying the interaction interface between these two molecules, a finding that was subsequently critical for pinpointing the molecular basis of specific haematopoietic conditions.

For her post-doctoral studies, she moved to the University of Dundee, Scotland, to carry out research with Professor Angus Lamond, a world leader in the field of nuclear organisation. Here Dr Fox was part of a project describing the human nucleolar proteome, the first large-scale proteomic analysis of a sub-nuclear organelle. Arising from this, she discovered a novel sub-nuclear structure, 'paraspeckles' that forms the basis of her current research.

In 2006 Archa joined WAIMR to set up her own lab, supported by an NH&MRC Howard Florey Fellowship. In 2012 Archa commenced a Research Fellowship, awarded by the Cancer Council of WA. She is currently studying paraspeckles as a model system for exploring the ways in which the organisation of the cell nucleus directly affects the control of gene expression in cancer.

Qualifications

1996BSc (Hons, first class) - Molecular Genetics, University of New South Wales, Australia
2000PhD - Biochemistry, University of Sydney, Australia

Research Interests

  • The role of nuclear organization and non-coding RNA in the control of gene expression
  • Changes in nuclear organization associated with cancer and in development
  • Structure/function analysis of sub-nuclear bodies
  • Techniques: fluorescence microscopy, molecular biology, cell biology, proteomics

Scientific Involvement

  • Convenor Lorne Genome Conference - 2013.
  • Board Member for Lorne Genome Inc. - 2010 to present.
  • Chair of 'RNA Processing' Symposium at OZBIO2010 - 2010.
  • Member of the Organising Committee for Lorne Genome Conference - 2009 to present.
  • Member of the Scientific Advisory Council for Lorne Genome Conference - 2008 to 2009.
  • Member of Australian Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology - 2006 to present.
  • Member of Australian Society for Medical Research - 2009 to present.
  • Member of the British Biochemical Society - 1999 to 2006.

Top Publications

  1. Passon DM, Lee M, Rackham O, Stanley WA, Sadowska A, Filipovska A, Fox AH, Bond CS. 2012. Structure of the heterodimer of human NONO and Paraspeckle Protein 1 and analysis of its role in subnuclear body formation. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (USA) 109(13):4846-50. [NCBI PubMed Entry]
  2. Clark, MB, Johnston, RL, Inostroza-Ponta M, Fox AH, Fortini E, Moscato P, Dinger M, Mattick JS. 2012. Genome wide analysis of long noncoding RNA stability. Genome Research 22(5):885-98. [NCBI PubMed Entry]
  3. Lee M, Passon D, Hennig S, Fox AH, Bond CS. 2011. Construct optimisation for studying protein complexes: obtaining diffraction-quality crystals of the pseudosymmetric PSPC1-NONO heterodimer. Acta Crystallographica Section D 67(Pt 11):981-7. [NCBI PubMed Entry]
  4. Fox AH, Lamond AI. 2010. "Paraspeckles" in The Nucleus. Ed. Tom Misteli and David Spector. Cold Spring Harbour Perspectives.
  5. Bond CS, Fox AH. 2009. Paraspeckles: Nuclear bodies built on long noncoding RNA. Journal of Cell Biology 186(5):637-44. [NCBI PubMed Entry]
  6. Clemson CM, Hutchinson JN, Sara SA, Ensminger AW, Fox AH, Chess A, Lawrence JB. 2009. An Architectural Role for a Nuclear Noncoding RNA: NEAT1 RNA Is Essential for the Structure of Paraspeckles. Molecular Cell 33(6):717-26. [NCBI PubMed Entry]
  7. Fox AH, Bond CS, Lamond AI. 2005. P54nrb forms a heterodimer with PSP1 that localises to paraspeckles in a RNA-dependent manner. Molecular Biology of the Cell 16(11):5304-15. [NCBI PubMed Entry] [IF 7.45]
  8. Andersen JS, Lyon CE, Fox AH, Leung AKL, Lam YW, Steen H, Mann M, Lamond AI. 2002. Directed proteomic analysis of the human nucleolus. Current Biology 12(1):1-11. [NCBI PubMed Entry] [IF 11.9]
  9. Fox AH, Lam YW, Leung AKL, Lyon CE, Andersen JS, Mann M, Lamond AI. 2002. Paraspeckles: a novel nuclear domain. Current Biology 12(1):13-25. [NCBI PubMed Entry] [IF 11.9]
  10. Fox AH, Liew C, Holmes M, Kowalski K, Mackay J, Crossley M. 1999. Transcriptional cofactors of the FOG-family interact with GATA-proteins by means of multiple zinc fingers. The EMBO Journal 18(10):2812-22. [NCBI PubMed Entry] [IF 10.45]
  11. Fox AH, Kowalski K, King GF, Mackay JP, Crossley M. 1998. Key residues characteristic of GATA N-fingers are recognized by FOG. The Journal of Biological Chemistry 273(50):33595-603. [NCBI PubMed Entry] [IF 3.0]