Keeping DNA copying on track and fixing damage
Regulation of genome replication, recombination, and stress response
Researchers are looking at how cells copy and repair DNA so people with cancer or DNA repair disorders might benefit.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Sloan-Kettering Inst Can Research NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11170676 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
The team uses lab experiments to watch how the cellular DNA‑copying machinery and repair systems work together to keep genomes stable. They focus on what happens when DNA replication stalls at natural barriers, how collapsed forks are handled, and how protein complexes like Smc5/6 control these steps. Work combines molecular biology, cell models, and biochemical methods to map changes at replication forks and recombination intermediates. By teasing apart these mechanisms, they aim to reveal weak points that could be targeted to prevent or treat cancers driven by DNA damage.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Patients with cancers caused by or linked to DNA repair defects (for example BRCA-related tumors) or those willing to donate tissue or tumor samples for laboratory research may be most directly relevant.
Not a fit: People seeking an immediate new therapy or those with diseases unrelated to DNA damage are unlikely to see direct benefit from this basic-lab research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could point to new ways to prevent or treat cancers by targeting DNA replication and repair pathways.
How similar studies have performed: Previous basic research on DNA repair has led to successful therapies like PARP inhibitors, but many of the specific mechanisms studied here remain early-stage and untested in patients.
Where this research is happening
New York, United States
- Sloan-Kettering Inst Can Research — New York, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Zhao, Xiaolan — Sloan-Kettering Inst Can Research
- Study coordinator: Zhao, Xiaolan
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.