How cancer cells repair dangerous DNA breaks
Unraveling DNA Polymerase Double-Strand Break Repair Strategies in Cancer
Researchers are learning how two DNA-repair proteins help some breast and ovarian cancers fix broken DNA and survive certain treatments.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Univ of Arkansas for Med Scis NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Little Rock, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11250154 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project focuses on two DNA polymerases (pol λ and pol θ) that may help cancer cells patch dangerous double-strand DNA breaks through a pathway called microhomology-mediated end joining (MMEJ). Scientists will use high-resolution lab methods — time-resolved X-ray crystallography, cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM), and biochemical and biophysical experiments — to watch how these proteins work at the molecular level. The team is studying mechanisms relevant to breast, ovarian, and related cancers and how they might lead to resistance to PARP inhibitor (PARPi) drugs. The work is lab-based and aims to reveal detailed mechanisms that could guide future treatments.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with homologous recombination–deficient (HR-deficient) breast or ovarian cancers, especially those receiving PARP inhibitors, are the patients most likely to benefit from these findings.
Not a fit: Patients without HR-deficient tumors or those with non-cancer conditions are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this laboratory-focused grant.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could point to new ways to prevent or reverse PARP inhibitor resistance in HR-deficient cancers.
How similar studies have performed: Earlier research has linked polymerase theta to error-prone repair and PARP inhibitor resistance, but the precise structural mechanisms this project will capture are largely unresolved.
Where this research is happening
Little Rock, United States
- Univ of Arkansas for Med Scis — Little Rock, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Jamsen, Joonas — Univ of Arkansas for Med Scis
- Study coordinator: Jamsen, Joonas
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 below.