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Lan Lab is dedicated to researching how cancer cells respond to DNA damage and DNA repair mechanisms, developing innovative strategies to target pathways for cancer therapy. Significant contributions include uncovering the critical role of PARP in DNA repair and leading successful applications of PARP inhibitors in the treatment of breast and ovarian cancers. The lab studies how DNA responds to oxidative damage at specific chromosomal locations, significantly advancing the understanding of the DNA damage response within chromosomal environments. Recent investigations revealed a novel mRNA R-loop-dependent DNA repair pathway that acts as a protective mechanism in transcribed regions of the genome, introducing a new paradigm in DNA repair research. The research interests of Lan Lab include unraveling the underlying mechanisms of mRNA R-loop-dependent DNA repair (RDDR) in cancer and developing targeted therapies. The lab actively investigates the molecular mechanisms of the RDDR pathway and its regulators, studying its function and developing inhibitors to disrupt RDDR in cancer cells. They aim to identify RDDR biomarkers for patient stratification and predict responses to RDDR-targeted therapy. Additionally, Lan Lab explores the potential applications of gene editing to treat cancers exhibiting increased genome instability, the response of telomeres to oxidative damage in cancer, and the interplay between DNA damage responses and immune responses in cancer.
Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology • Duke University
Instructor in the Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, involved in teaching and research.
Department of Biomedical Engineering (MS program)