Research summary
Cancer is the leading cause of death in Canada—and genomic instability is often behind the genetic changes that cause tumours to form. Genomic instability can be triggered by the failure or misuse of double-strand break repair pathways. If not repaired, double-strand breaks in DNA can be lethal to cells and cause cancer.
Dr. Jean-Yves Masson, Canada Research Chair in DNA Repair and Cancer Therapeutics, aims to decipher the functions and consequences of mutations in double-strand break repair enzymes using biochemical, cellular and molecular approaches. Masson and his research team are also using novel enzyme inhibitors they’ve discovered to target cancer vulnerabilities and improve patient care.