Harnessing DNA repair to fight cancer

Headed by

Dr. Tamar Paz-Elizur

Ullman Building, Room 318
Department of Biological Chemistry
Weizmann Institute of Science
Rehovot, Israel, 76100
Tel: +972-8-934-2735
Fax: +972-8-934-4169
E-mail: tamar.paz-elizur@weizmann.ac.il

The identification of risk factors and minimizing their effects is a powerful strategy to fight disease. This has been proven highly successful for cardiovascular diseases, where biomarkers such as high blood cholesterol level and high blood pressure provided powerful tools for prevention. Similar powerful biomarkers for cancer risk are generally not yet available despite extensive research. Towards this goal we are taking a biology-based functional approach, focusing on the development of DNA repair biomarkers, and their use for prevention and early detection of cancer. The rationale behind this approach is based on the established role of mutations in carcinogenesis, and the major role of DNA repair in preventing mutations. Supporting such an approach is the central role that germ-line mutations in DNA repair genes play in cancer predisposition syndromes.

Out of the many approaches that one can take to develop DNA repair biomarkers, including genomic, expression, and proteomic methodologies, we are concentrating on functional assays, primarily the measurement of DNA repair enzymatic activity. Such an approach provides a powerful measurement of the actual protective activity of DNA repair, and when properly developed abiding the criteria of translational research, can provide a powerful tool for cancer risk assessment.