Dr Erika Mancini explains how malfunctions in the regulation of chromatin structure often leads to complex multi-system diseases and cancer, notably leukemia. Dr Erika Mancini is interested in the role of chromatin in the regulation of gene transcription. All our cells contain the same set of genes, but only some of them are transcribed at any point in a particular tissue. Regulation of gene transcription is strongly linked to chromatin, physical packaging of the DNA within the nucleus. Molecular Mechanisms influencing DNA packaging Chromatin plays an important role in the regulation of gene expression. The movement of nucleosomes, packing and unpacking DNA, is governed by chromatin remodelling ATPases. Malfunctions in the regulation of chromatin structure often leads to complex multi-system diseases and cancer, notably leukemia.