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Robert A. Bambara, Ph.D.
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) evades the immune system by rapidly recombining its genome and evolving its viron structure. Our laboratory studies the proteins, RNA structures and mechanism of recombination to gain the knowledge to produce an effective therapy against HIV. We are also studying the regulation of DNA replication and repair in the mammalian cell. When DNA is damaged, DNA replication does not continue until the damage is repaired. We are interested in characterizing the replication and repair machinery and understanding how to shift to the repair mode in normal and diseased cells.
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William A. Bernhard, Ph.D.
We live in an invisible sea of ionizing radiation, consisting of x-rays, g-rays and cosmic rays. Our radiation exposure is increased by its use in medicine and industry. The benefits of these applications must be weighed against the risk of radiation inducing cancer or leukemia. Central to this risk assessment is understanding the mechanisms by which radiation damages DNA. Our group studies these mechanisms using a variety of biophysical techniques, including electron paramagnetic resonance, electron nuclear double resonance, mass spectrometry, and chromatography.
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Jeffrey J. Hayes, Ph.D.
During the cell cycle, genomic DNA assembles into a compact, higher ordered chromatin fiber. The organization of chromatin structure is regulated in a gene-specific fashion and integrated with the machinery that controls transcription. Our laboratory studies defined protein-DNA interactions, protein modification and mutations that influence chromatin structure and gene regulation. Specific mutations of histone proteins are being used to probe protein domains involved in site-specific contacts between DNA and nucleosomes.
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Russell Hilf, Ph.D.
A number of hormones have been implicated in the etiology and growth of mammary cancers. Hormones bind to specific cell receptors, which are internalized to regulate gene expression and cell growth. Our studies are directed at understanding the molecular mechanisms of how the following compounds affect or regulate tumor growth and neoplasia: estrogens, anti-estrogens, insulin and insulin-like growth factors.
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Christopher W. Lawrence, Ph.D.
Accumulation of mutagen-induced damage of DNA leads to cancer. Our research group is studying how unrepaired lesions in DNA delay DNA replication and produce mutations. Our studies utilize E. coli and yeast model systems to clone and characterize specific genes concerned with mutagenesis and to study the DNA repair and replication process in various genetic backgrounds.
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Fred Sherman, Ph.D.
Yeast is an ideal model system to study many aspects of gene expression in eukaryotic cells. By using iso-1-cytochrome c as a model gene, we have identified many general principles involved in transcription, translation, co-translational and post-translational modification, mitochondrial import, heme attachment, enzymatic functions and protein degradation. Currently, our efforts have been directed toward understanding the relationships between protein structure, protein modifications and degradation in vivo, and in uncovering new degradation systems in mitochondria.
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Sayeeda B. Zain, Ph.D.
The amyloid precursor protein (APP) is a molecule centrally involved in neurodegenerative pathology of Alzheimer disease, but whose normal function is still poorly understood. Our research focuses on studying how the cellular machinery is perturbed in the diseased state in transgenic mice and PC12 cell lines over-expressing APP. In parallel, our lab also studies tumor progression and metastasis, using an in vivo breast carcinoma metastasis model.
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