How cells fix dangerous breaks in DNA
Elucidating the mechanisms underlying DNA double-strand break repair
Researchers are mapping how cells repair the most harmful type of DNA damage to help guide better treatments for cancers and age-related diseases.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Thomas Jefferson University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Philadelphia, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11262926 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You will hear about lab work that looks inside cells to see how proteins cooperate to fix double-strand DNA breaks. The team will use biochemical experiments, advanced imaging like cryo-electron microscopy, and molecular tools to follow enzymes that process broken DNA ends. They focus on the step called DNA resection and how nucleases, helicases, and regulators assemble and are controlled at a single break. This is basic lab research done at the university and does not involve a clinical treatment you would receive now.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with cancers linked to DNA repair defects or those in research programs for cancer or aging would be the most relevant candidates for future trials informed by this work.
Not a fit: Patients seeking immediate changes to their medical treatment are unlikely to benefit directly because this grant supports basic laboratory research rather than a clinical intervention.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could reveal new molecular targets to improve DNA repair or block error-prone repair in cancers and age-related disorders.
How similar studies have performed: Prior basic research has identified parts of DNA repair pathways and enabled drugs like PARP inhibitors, but the detailed assembly and regulation steps targeted here remain largely untested.
Where this research is happening
Philadelphia, United States
- Thomas Jefferson University — Philadelphia, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Soniat, Michael — Thomas Jefferson University
- Study coordinator: Soniat, Michael
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.