DNA repair proteins scan the DNA, identify DNA lesions, and correct the damage, thereby restoring the original DNA sequence. DNA lesions that have escaped repair are tolerated by a mechanism termed translesion replication (TLR), translesion synthesis (TLS), or lesion bypass. This reaction is carried out by specialized DNA polymerases, members of the Y superfamily, discovered in 1999 in our and in other laboratories. TLR is a low-fidelity process, and is therefore associated with increased mutation frequency.

Research in our laboratory focuses on three main directions:
	Translesion Replication (TLR) and the Formation of Mutations in Bacteria and in Humans.
	Recombinational Repair in Bacteria and in Humans.
	Role of DNA Repair in Cancer Risk