DNA Repair

Accurate chromosomal DNA replication is of fundamental importance for cellular function, genome integrity and development. In response to replication perturbations, DNA damage response and DNA damage tolerance pathways become activated and are crucial for detection and tolerance of lesions, which impact on replication completion and genome integrity. These processes are tightly interconnected with chromosome structure involving sister chromatid cohesion and chromatin architecture, influenced by structural maintenance of chromosomes complexes. The lab aims to understand the principles determining the choice of DNA repair pathways in the context of chromatin and how this affects chromosome structure and genome integrity.

Our research spans three major areas:

1. DNA damage tolerance and principles that regulate their usage;
2. Pathways that facilitate and coordinate replication through natural pausing sites and abasic sites;
3. Cohesin and Smc5/6 functions in DNA repair and chromosome structure.

We are using budding yeast, vertebrate/mammalian cell lines and zebrafish, and employ genetic, molecular, biochemical and proteomic-based experimental strategies.