Signaling DNA damage in cellular response to stress

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Our DNA is constantly under threat from DNA damaging agents. If unrepaired DNA damage can lead to errors during genome duplication, including the mutations that can lead to cancer, contribute to aging and other human diseases. Cells have evolved elaborate repair mechanisms to fix this damage and ensure that the genetic information is faithfully reproduced, and we would like to understand these repair mechanisms at the molecular level. We ultimately aim for a complete molecular and cellular understanding of critical DNA repair pathways that act on DNA damage. The Ph.D. student will practice several molecular and cellular techniques, including cell culture, RNA interference, immunofluorescence microscopy, live-cell imaging and immunoprecipitation of proteins. He/she will also learn novel and powerful techniques, such as super-resolution microscopy and purification of proteins on newly synthesized DNA.