How cells detect and repair DNA damage in chromatin
Structural biology of DNA damage response in chromatin
Researchers are mapping how DNA-repair proteins that work on packaged DNA (chromatin) function to help inform better cancer treatments.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Mayo Clinic Rochester NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Rochester, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11086297 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient's perspective, this project looks at the molecular machines that find and fix broken DNA where it is wrapped around histones in chromatin. Scientists will use high-resolution methods such as cryo-electron microscopy, NMR spectroscopy, and X-ray crystallography to visualize protein complexes and chemical tags involved in the DNA damage response. The work focuses on proteins like RNF168 and RAD18 that tag histones and recruit repair factors during double-strand breaks and replication stress. Learning these mechanisms could point to new drug targets or explain why some cancers respond differently to therapy.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Patients with cancers caused by defects in DNA repair or with high replication stress (for example, BRCA-mutant tumors) would be most relevant to the findings of this research.
Not a fit: People with non-cancer conditions or tumors not driven by DNA-repair pathway defects are less likely to benefit directly from this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could reveal new molecular targets to improve cancer therapies or protect healthy cells from DNA damage.
How similar studies have performed: High-resolution structural studies have already clarified mechanisms for other DNA-repair proteins, but RAD18's combined roles in repair and damage tolerance are less understood, making this a mix of established methods and novel targets.
Where this research is happening
Rochester, United States
- Mayo Clinic Rochester — Rochester, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mer, Georges — Mayo Clinic Rochester
- Study coordinator: Mer, Georges
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.