How cells decide to fix dangerous DNA breaks
Regulation of DNA double-strand break repair pathway choice
This work looks at how BRCA2 and related proteins control DNA break repair in BRCA2-deficient cancers to help guide treatment choices.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California at Davis NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Davis, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11116907 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will use cell-based imaging that pinpoints DNA repair activity during specific cell-cycle stages and run biochemical experiments with purified human proteins to see how BRCA2, RAD52, and POLQ influence repair choices. The team will study how these factors delay or permit a fast but error-prone repair route (TMEJ) until later cell-cycle phases to avoid harmful chromosome rearrangements. Findings will inform how new drugs that target RAD52 or POLQ might be used, and how they interact with PARP inhibitors and DNA damage checkpoint drugs. The work is lab-based at the University of California, Davis and combines molecular imaging with mechanistic protein assays.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with cancers that have BRCA2 mutations or other homologous recombination deficiencies would be the most relevant patient group for the results of this work.
Not a fit: Patients whose tumors are not HR-deficient or who need immediate clinical therapy are unlikely to see direct benefits from this lab-focused project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could help personalize treatment for tumors with BRCA2 or homologous recombination defects by guiding use of RAD52/POLQ inhibitors and combination therapies.
How similar studies have performed: PARP inhibitors have shown clinical benefit in BRCA-mutant cancers, supporting the general strategy, while RAD52 and POLQ targeting is promising but largely at the preclinical stage.
Where this research is happening
Davis, United States
- University of California at Davis — Davis, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Heyer, Wolf-Dietrich — University of California at Davis
- Study coordinator: Heyer, Wolf-Dietrich
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.