Mapping how cells respond to DNA breaks with on-demand CRISPR and high-resolution imaging
Official title: Mapping the Cellular Responses to DNA Double-Strand Breaks Using On-Demand CRISPR technologies and High-resolution Fluorescence Microscopy
Funded at Utah State Higher Education System--University of Utah · NIH-11530494 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project uses CRISPR-based tools and advanced microscopy to watch how human cells respond to DNA double-strand breaks in real time.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Utah State Higher Education System--University of Utah NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Salt Lake City, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2023 |
| Project end | May 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $199,153 |
| NIH project number | 3R35GM150941-04S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11530494 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Not applicable in this basic science grant; no specific patient population is recruited.
✕Less likely to help
No direct patient participation or immediate clinical benefit in this funding period.
What this research studies
If this research succeeds, it could reveal when and where DDR proteins find and repair DNA damage inside living cells, helping us understand why repair goes wrong in disease. The team will use on-demand CRISPR technologies together with high-resolution fluorescence imaging to visualize DDR factor dynamics during repair. This approach aims to map the timing and organization of repair proteins in the context of living human cells. The knowledge gained could inform strategies to improve genome maintenance and prevent disease linked to DNA damage.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Better understanding of DNA repair could lead to new approaches for diagnosing, preventing, or treating diseases caused by genome instability.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work shows that imaging DDR dynamics can reveal how repair factors operate, supporting the potential for meaningful insights here.
Where this research is happening
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Utah State Higher Education System--University of Utah
Salt Lake City, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Liu, Yang — Utah State Higher Education System--University of Utah
- Study coordinator: Liu, Yang
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.