Fixing DNA copying errors
Official title: Replication Fork Repair
Funded at Brandeis University · NIH-11158821 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are studying how cells fix problems that happen when DNA is copied to help future efforts against cancer and antibiotic-resistant infections.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Brandeis University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Waltham, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 1994 |
| Project end | July 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $504,582 |
| NIH project number | 5R01GM051753-28 |
| Project ID | NIH-11158821 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People affected by cancer or by antibiotic-resistant infections are the populations most likely to benefit in the long term, though this project does not enroll patients now.
✕Less likely to help
Patients seeking immediate new treatments or wanting to join a clinical trial should not expect direct benefit because this is laboratory research in bacteria.
What this research studies
This project uses well-understood bacteria (E. coli) to learn how cells repair DNA when the copying machinery gets stuck. Scientists will study specific proteins (like YoaA and the SspA regulatory pathway) and how collisions between DNA copying and gene reading are resolved using genetic and biochemical experiments. The work aims to reveal basic mechanisms that link repair failure to genomic instability, cancer risk, and how bacteria survive antibiotics. Results are foundational knowledge that could guide new therapies or strategies over time.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could inform new ways to prevent or treat some cancers and to reduce antibiotic resistance by revealing how DNA repair works.
How similar studies have gone: Prior basic research on DNA repair has led to meaningful clinical advances (for example informing cancer drug strategies), but translating bacterial findings into patient therapies is a slow, stepwise process.
Where this research is happening
-
Brandeis University
Waltham, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Lovett, Susan Thomas — Brandeis University
- Study coordinator: Lovett, Susan Thomas
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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.