How cells repair stuck DNA-copying machinery
Official title: Project 4: Fork Repair: Mechanisms and consequences of stalled replication fork processing
Funded at University of Calif-Lawrenc Berkeley Lab · NIH-11178316 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are learning how cells fix or bypass stalled DNA replication to better understand cancer and improve treatments.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P01 program project |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Calif-Lawrenc Berkeley Lab NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Berkeley, United States) |
| Project start | September 27, 2001 |
| Project end | August 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $380,882 |
| NIH project number | 5P01CA092584-25 |
| Project ID | NIH-11178316 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with cancers linked to DNA repair defects (for example BRCA-mutant tumors or cancers treated with PARP inhibitors) are most likely to find this research relevant.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose cancers are unrelated to DNA replication or repair pathways may not directly benefit from these findings.
What this research studies
This project uses laboratory experiments to find out how cells deal with stalled DNA replication forks, a process that can create the mutations that drive cancer. Scientists combine structural studies, biochemistry, genetics, and cell biology to identify the proteins and pathways that remodel, repair, or bypass these stalled forks. They also study how error-prone fixes lead to genetic changes and therapy resistance. The goal is to reveal vulnerabilities that could be targeted by future cancer therapies.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new ways to make cancer treatments more effective by targeting how tumor cells tolerate DNA replication stress.
How similar studies have gone: Prior basic-science work on replication and repair has informed treatments like PARP inhibitors, but many specific mechanisms of fork processing remain novel and underexplored.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Calif-Lawrenc Berkeley Lab
Berkeley, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Cortez, David K — University of Calif-Lawrenc Berkeley Lab
- Study coordinator: Cortez, David K
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.