Genome Integrity Program Faculty

Our laboratory is interested in the molecular mechanisms that control cell growth and proliferation, and in understanding how these mechanisms are disrupted in cancer cells.

My laboratory focuses on understanding the efficacy of genotoxic anti-cancer drugs that sensitize BRCA deficient cancer cells with DNA repair and replication integrity defects. 

Research in the Flavahan lab focuses on how defects in the molecular structure of the genome, called chromatin, can affect the expression of cancer related genes.

We study proteins that regulate chromosome structure and function, using cell biological and genomic tools to analyze mammalian chromosome organization.

The Kelch Lab utilizes structural biology and biochemistry to reveal the workings of large macromolecular complexes, with a special focus on those involved in DNA replication/repair and virus assembly. 

Our interests exist within an emerging discipline called Systems Pharmacology, which is focused broadly on understanding principles in drug therapy and mechanisms underlying the therapeutic activity of drugs as well as complex drug combinations.

Our laboratory focuses on the rates, causes, and consequences of somatic mutations in the human brain.

Work in the lab is focused on understanding how chromosome structure influences gene transcription, DNA replication and repair, with special emphasis on identifying and characterizing the cellular machines that control chromosome dynamics.

The Rhind lab studies cell size regulation and temporal coordination of DNA replication.

We investigate how cell fate decisions during erythropoiesis are orchestrated by DNA replication and by epigenetic mechanisms.

CRISPR-Cas Biology and Genome Engineering Applications

Our laboratory focuses on identifying the molecular mechanisms underlying the effects of aneuploidy (an abnormal number of chromosomes) on cellular physiology and on cancer initiation, maintenance and progression.

We use forward genetics to select isogenic aneuploid mutants with tumor-like chromosomes from diploid epithelial cell precursors based on their proliferative advantage. Multi-omics profiling of these cells provides a deeper understanding of the roles of cancer chromosomal aberrations. 

My research program is focused on the creation of improved genome editing technologies to facilitate both efficient and precise editing of vertebrate genomes.