Molecular biologist John Petrini is studying specific genes involved in DNA damage and repair. His group identified and characterized three genes -- hMRE11, NBS1, and hRAD50 -- that play a role in DNA double-strand breaks that result from exposure to ionizing radiation. "We know that a protein complex produced by these genes allows cells to survive radiation and other agents that damage DNA," said Dr. Petrini. "Cancer treatment, to some degree, involves killing tumor cells with those same agents. Our proteins may therefore be good targets for therapies that involve a combination of radiation and drugs that inhibit the processes that help tumor cells survive." Return to John Petrini Main Page
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