Document Type

Article

Major

Computer Science, Mathematics

Mentor

Prof. Dmitry Korzhnev, Dept. of Molecular Biology & Biophysics (UConn Health)

Disciplines

Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Structural Biology | Bioinformatics | Biophysics | Cancer Biology | Cell and Developmental Biology | Cell Biology | Genetics and Genomics | Molecular Genetics | Structural Biology

Abstract

Failure to repair DNA double-stranded breaks leads to cell death. Radiation therapy is commonly used to kill cancer cells by inducing these breaks. However resistance to radiation therapy, due to a hyperactive DNA double-stranded break repair pathway, is a common occurrence that makes cancer patients more prone to relapse. The Shieldin complex is shown to promote DNA-double stranded break repair by binding to DNA at sites of damage. Thus, the objective of this project is to understand the affinity and type of DNA that Shieldin binds to, through gel-shift assays, for the eventual creation of an inhibitor for this protein to stop the emergence of radioresistant cancer cells.

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