The Division of Radiation Biology was initially established in 2003 to study the fundamental mechanisms of radiation resistance in cancer cells and to find a solution to modulate radiation resistance. The division currently has three research groups working on different aspects of radiation biology under the directorship of Binghui Shen, Ph.D.
Major focus of Dr. Shen’s group is on the mechanistic roles of nucleases in DNA replication in the nucleus and mitochondrion and in cellular responses and repair of DNA damage induced by environmental insults such as ionizing radiation. The team employs multiple approaches such as crystallographic, biochemical, yeast and mouse genetic techniques to study these phenomena. In collaboration with the Lung Cancer Program, directed by Kemp Kernstine, M.D., Ph.D., a subgroup of the Shen laboratory led by Li Zhong, Ph.D., is developing proteomic approaches for cancer diagnostics.
Lab studies led by Fong Fong Chu, Ph.D., aim to understand the role of oxidant and antioxidant enzymes in inflammation in the ileum and colon. Her lab also uses genetic approaches to identify genes that might be linked to inflammatory bowel (IBD) disease and to identify the mechanism by which dietary factors influence IBD in mice.
The laboratory of Jeremy Stark, Ph.D., investigates the repair of chromosome double-strand breaks, which are formed during a number of cancer treatment regimens, including radiation therapy. In particular, this lab is interested in the mechanistic overlap between different repair pathways as well as how individual mechanistic steps are prone to generating mutations.
The three groups share a common interest in radiation-induced DNA damage and repair and radiation resistance. The principal investigators and their associates will direct efforts in radiation research toward fulfilling departmental goals, working in close collaboration with radiation oncologists in the parental division and with other scientists.
