DNA repeat structures and genome stability
Official title: Replication through DNA Structures and Consequences for Genome Stability
Funded at Tufts University Medford · NIH-11256764 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how folded or repeated DNA stretches cause genetic damage that can lead to conditions like Huntington’s disease, aiming to find ways to prevent those harmful changes.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Tufts University Medford NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | January 1, 2022 |
| Project end | December 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $390,000 |
| NIH project number | 5R35GM144215-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11256764 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal participants would be people with CAG/CTG repeat disorders (for example Huntington’s disease, myotonic dystrophy, or related spinocerebellar ataxias) or individuals willing to provide biological samples for basic research.
✕Less likely to help
People without repeat-expansion disorders or those seeking immediate clinical treatment are unlikely to get direct medical benefit from this laboratory-focused research.
What this research studies
You can think of parts of DNA that repeat over and over as sequences that sometimes fold up or block the machinery that copies DNA. Researchers will use yeast and cell models to watch what happens when replication stalls at these repeats, track how the repeated regions move to the edge of the cell nucleus, and measure how protein tags called SUMO affect that process. They combine genetics, molecular biology, and imaging to see what prevents breaks or repeat expansions. The work aims to reveal cellular safeguards that stop dangerous expansions that underlie diseases like Huntington’s and some cancers.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new ways to stop harmful repeat expansions, potentially reducing the risk or severity of diseases such as Huntington’s disease and certain cancers.
How similar studies have gone: Earlier cell and yeast studies, including work from this lab, have shown that repeats can relocate to the nuclear periphery and that sumoylation matters, but applying these findings to multiple replication barriers is a relatively new direction.
Where this research is happening
-
Tufts University Medford
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Freudenreich, Catherine H — Tufts University Medford
- Study coordinator: Freudenreich, Catherine H
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.