Fighting Cancer From Within
The information needed to form all cellular structures and perform all cellular functions is encoded in our DNA—so maintaining DNA integrity is paramount to sustaining life.
But our DNA is constantly being challenged by natural and artificial substances that can damage it. If left unrepaired, DNA damage can have devastating consequences—for example, it is the underlying cause of many cancers. Biologically, humans were built to withstand some of this damage: our cells have sophisticated ways to precisely identify and repair hundreds of thousands of DNA lesions every day. But these mechanisms aren’t foolproof. Most cancerous tumours have defects in the way their cells correct DNA damage.
While these defects help tumour grows, they are also an Achilles heel that we can target with new cancer treatments. Dr. Alba Guarné, Canada Research Chair in Macromolecular Machines in DNA Damage and Repair, is doing just that. Guarné and her research team are studying how DNA repair machines function using visualization techniques that yield atomic detail. Understanding how DNA repair proteins work in healthy cells is the first step in developing strategies to turn DNA repair mechanisms into weapons to kill cancer cells.
Work by Guarné and her team will provide the molecular detail needed to understand the processes that drive repair of DNA damage and prevent disease. Their research could also lead to new treatments for certain cancers.