Tracking and fixing DNA damage that can lead to cancer
DNA Adduct Detection and Repair in Mammalian Cells
Researchers are mapping exactly where harmful chemical changes occur in DNA and how cells repair them to help people affected by cancer or exposures to environmental carcinogens.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chapel Hill, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11126856 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would be hearing about a lab project that uses new genomic tools to find the exact spots in the genome where bulky DNA lesions form and where repair enzymes cut them out. The team will apply techniques called Damage-seq and XR-seq to create single-nucleotide maps of damage caused by natural processes, environmental carcinogens (like benzo[a]pyrene and aflatoxins), and certain anti-cancer drugs. By comparing damage and repair patterns across the genome, they hope to learn why some sites lead to mutations, disease, or treatment side effects. The work is done in mammalian cell systems and uses high-throughput sequencing to produce detailed maps of damage and repair.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants would include people with cancers treated by DNA-damaging chemotherapy or individuals with known exposure to environmental carcinogens who can provide biological samples or clinical data.
Not a fit: People looking for immediate treatment or symptom relief should not expect direct benefit because the project focuses on laboratory mapping rather than offering clinical therapies.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could help predict cancer risk from exposures and guide development of safer, more effective chemotherapy strategies with fewer side effects.
How similar studies have performed: Related methods like Damage-seq and XR-seq have been developed and used previously, but applying them genome-wide across multiple carcinogens and chemotherapies at single-nucleotide resolution is a relatively new extension.
Where this research is happening
Chapel Hill, United States
- Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill — Chapel Hill, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sancar, Aziz — Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
- Study coordinator: Sancar, Aziz
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.