How cells fix DNA to prevent brain diseases
Official title: Assembly and Dynamics of Molecular Machines in Genome Maintenance
Funded at University of Iowa · NIH-11529232 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This NIH grant supports research to understand how cells carefully repair DNA to protect against brain disorders and aging.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Iowa NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Iowa City, United States) |
| Project start | April 1, 2019 |
| Project end | March 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $102,123 |
| NIH project number | 3R35GM131704-08S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11529232 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Not specific to a patient group in this grant; basic research using human disease relevance is discussed, but no direct patient enrollment is described.
✕Less likely to help
No immediate patient participation or benefits outlined in the grant as described.
What this research studies
Researchers study how DNA repair proteins and their partners work together to fix DNA damage and protect replication forks, using both test-tube experiments and studies in living cells. The goal is to map how molecular machines assemble, move, and decide which repair paths to use, which could illuminate why genome instability is linked to brain diseases. The work uses synthetic DNA constructs that mimic real DNA repair scenarios to visualize structure and dynamics. Insights from this work may eventually inform strategies to maintain brain health and prevent disease.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, findings could lead to new approaches to prevent genome instability-related brain diseases and aging effects.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work on DNA repair mechanisms has advanced our understanding, but translating it to brain disease remains an ongoing effort.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Iowa
Iowa City, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Spies, Maria — University of Iowa
- Study coordinator: Spies, Maria
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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.