How cells spot and protect DNA when copying goes wrong
Official title: DNA Replication Checkpoint in Fission Yeast
Funded at Wright State University · NIH-11261077 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Using yeast as a model, researchers aim to learn how cells detect and protect DNA during copying errors to help improve cancer treatments.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Wright State University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Dayton, United States) |
| Project start | February 1, 2022 |
| Project end | January 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $375,000 |
| NIH project number | 5R35GM144307-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11261077 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with cancers treated by DNA-targeting chemotherapy may be most interested in following this research or taking part in future translational studies based on these findings.
✕Less likely to help
People without cancer or those seeking immediate clinical treatment changes are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this laboratory-focused project.
What this research studies
This lab project uses fission yeast, a simple single-celled organism, to study the DNA replication checkpoint that senses problems during DNA copying. Researchers will perform genetic screens to find yeast mutants with altered checkpoint responses and then use biochemical experiments to determine how checkpoints begin at stalled replication forks and protect fork function under stress. Because many chemotherapy drugs disrupt DNA replication, these experiments may reveal mechanisms that influence how tumors respond to treatment. The work is laboratory-based and does not directly enroll patients, but focuses on processes that are conserved in human cells.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could help researchers develop better cancer therapies or predict which tumors will respond to DNA-targeting drugs.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work using yeast has uncovered many DNA repair and checkpoint mechanisms later confirmed in human cells, so the approach is well established even though the specific mutants studied are new.
Where this research is happening
-
Wright State University
Dayton, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Xu, Yongjie — Wright State University
- Study coordinator: Xu, Yongjie
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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.