How cells fix dangerous DNA breaks that can lead to cancer
Double strand break repair maelstrom: causes, mechanisms and genome destabilizing consequences
This work looks at how certain ways cells repair broken DNA can create mutations and chromosome shuffling that contribute to cancer, to help people affected by these conditions.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Texas Hlth Science Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Antonio, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11321088 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers use a powerful yeast model to mimic a severe type of DNA break and watch how different repair pathways act. They focus on two risky repair processes, break-induced replication (BIR) and microhomology-mediated BIR (MMBIR), that can cause bursts of mutations and complex chromosome rearrangements. The team developed a sensitive droplet-digital PCR tool called AMBER to measure how fast and how accurately BIR proceeds. Lessons from the yeast system will guide future studies in human cells and cancer research.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with cancers driven by chromosome rearrangements or those with inherited disorders of genome instability are the most likely to benefit from findings of this research.
Not a fit: Patients seeking immediate new treatments or clinical therapy options are unlikely to get direct benefit from this basic laboratory research in the short term.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal mechanisms that lead to cancer-causing genome changes and point to new ways to prevent or target those changes.
How similar studies have performed: Previous yeast-based DNA repair studies have uncovered fundamental mechanisms later applied to human cancer biology, but BIR/MMBIR are still areas of active and evolving research.
Where this research is happening
San Antonio, United States
- University of Texas Hlth Science Center — San Antonio, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Malkova, Anna L — University of Texas Hlth Science Center
- Study coordinator: Malkova, Anna L
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.