A journey through the mystery of the dark matter of the human genome

The talk will be held in Norwegian.

Twenty years ago, a massive scientific effort revealed that the human genome contains 20,000 protein-coding genes, but they make up only 2% of our DNA. The rest was dismissed as junk, but we now realize it plays a crucial role.

Dr. Maria Johansen, a researcher in cancer genetics at the Mathematical Institute, will discuss the remaining 98% of the genomic sequence in this lecture, which she refers to as the genome's dark matter. This non-coding regulatory genome holds the keys to understanding not only normal human physiology but also various malfunctions, such as cancer. Maria's research focuses on uncovering how the cancer genome is regulated, its defining factors, the molecules that interact with each other, and how all these elements function at the genomic level.

The event will last approximately 45 minutes, with light refreshments of coffee/tea and biscuits provided (feel free to bring your own cup!). Everyone is welcome!