Protecting and repairing DNA during cell division
Mechanisms of replication fork protection and recovery
This research looks at how cancer cells with BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations cope with DNA damage from PARP inhibitor treatments to help improve care.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Washington University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Saint Louis, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11323604 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers are studying how the ATR signaling pathway protects single-stranded DNA gaps and helps repair them when cancer cells are exposed to PARP inhibitor drugs. They use advanced lab methods that let them follow DNA at the single-molecule level and identify proteins at damage sites (including a technique called GAP-iPOND). By comparing BRCA-deficient and BRCA-proficient cancer cells, the team aims to understand why BRCA-mutant tumors fail to recover broken replication forks. The work is intended to reveal targets that could improve outcomes for people treated with PARP inhibitors.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with cancers driven by BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations, especially those receiving or considered for PARP inhibitor therapy, are most likely to benefit from these findings.
Not a fit: Patients whose cancers do not involve BRCA mutations or who are not treated with PARP inhibitors are less likely to see direct benefit from this specific research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new ways to make PARP inhibitor treatments work better and overcome resistance in BRCA-mutant cancers.
How similar studies have performed: PARP inhibitors are already effective for many BRCA-mutant cancers and prior studies have linked ATR signaling to DNA repair, but the specific role of ATR in protecting single-stranded DNA gaps and promoting fork recovery is a newer finding.
Where this research is happening
Saint Louis, United States
- Washington University — Saint Louis, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Vindigni, Alessandro — Washington University
- Study coordinator: Vindigni, Alessandro
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.