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DNA damage and repair research

DNA contains the ‘instruction manual’ for the cell, packaged in the form of genes. Our genes tell cells when to multiply, what sort of cell to become, and when to die.

If DNA becomes damaged, and is not repaired properly, then the cell may no longer understand its instructions, and start to multiply out of control. This can lead to cancer.

Cancer Research UK-funded scientists have played a significant role in understanding how DNA is damaged and repaired by cells, and how mistakes in this process can lead to cancer.

Here are some of the highlights of our current research into DNA damage and how it is repaired.

All cancer types

Dr Simon Boulton Dr Simon Boulton

DNA Damage Response Laboratory

London Research Institute, London

Understanding how cells repair DNA damage

Dr Simon Boulton leads the DNA Damage Response lab at our London Research Institute. Damage to DNA - our genetic code - is at the heart of cancer development. Dr Boulton is investigating how cells normally sense DNA damage and repair it accurately. This cutting-edge work is providing valuable insights into what goes wrong in cancer cells.

Prof Steve Jackson Prof Steve Jackson

The Wellcome Trust/Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute of Cancer and Developmental Biology

University of Cambridge, Cambridge

Understanding DNA repair

Professor Steve Jackson is an award-winning scientist, who has been funded by Cancer Research UK for over 15 years. He is Head of Cancer Research UK Laboratories at the Wellcome Trust/Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute, where he leads a research team making incredible progress in understanding the important role of DNA repair and its link with cancer. Some of Professor Jackson's discoveries have already been developed into new treatments for cancer, and others are being tested in clinical trials.

Prof Nic Jones Prof Nic Jones

Cell Regulation Group

Paterson Institute for Cancer Research, Manchester

How do cells react to stress?

Professor Nic Jones is Director of the Paterson Institute for Cancer Research in Manchester. He leads the Cell Regulation Group who study how cells respond to sudden adverse changes in their surroundings, known as 'environmental stress'. Professor Jones also directs the Manchester Cancer Research Centre, which aims to build on the world-class research already going on in the city.

Prof Gillies McKenna Prof Gillies McKenna

Radiation Oncology and Biology

University of Oxford, Oxford

Improving radiotherapy treatment

Professor Gillies McKenna is a world expert in radiotherapy research. In 2006, he was recruited to the UK from the US to lead the Cancer Research UK - MRC Gray Institute for Radiation Oncology and Biology in Oxford. His research focuses on understanding the effect that radiation has on cells and how cancers can become resistant to radiotherapy. This knowledge will contribute to the improvement of radiotherapy techniques so that more people are successfully treated and experience a better quality of life.

Dr Svend Petersen-Mahrt Dr Svend Petersen-Mahrt

DNA Editing Laboratory

London Research Institute, London

Preventing DNA damage

Dr Svend Petersen-Mahrt heads a group at our London Research Institute Clare Hall laboratories. They are studying a group of enzymes called DNA deaminases that are thought to play a role in certain cancers.

 

Breast cancer

Prof David Phillips Prof David Phillips

Section of Molecular Carcinogenesis

The Institute of Cancer Research, Sutton

Investigating cancer-causing molecules in our environment

Professor David Phillips and his team are investigating how certain chemicals in our environment influence cancer development. They are involved in several national and international collaborations and are renowned in this field. Their research will increase our understanding of how cancer develops, and will lead to better ways of preventing several cancers, including breast and lung cancer.