Dr Tatiana (Tanya) Soboleva received her undergraduate training in biochemistry at the Moscow State University. In 1998 she was awarded an International Postgraduate Research Scholarship by the Australian Government. She undertook her PhD study at the JCSMR, ANU, with Dr. Rohan Baker and was awarded a PhD in Molecular Medicine for her work investigating nucleocytoplasmic transport of the de-ubiquitilating enzyme, Usp4. In 2003 she undertook post-doctoral studies with Prof. Ian Young (JCSMR, ANU), investigating how the cytokines activate their receptor systems. In 2006 she joined Prof. David Tremethick’s laboratory (JCSMR, ANU). Together with Prof. Tremethick, she discovered a novel histone variant, which is involved in the activation of genes expressed during specific stages of spermatogenesis.