A Marquette University professor has received a $1.2 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to fund research that could influence future cancer treatments.
Edwin Antony, an assistant professor of biological sciences, is exploring how damaged DNA in the cell is repaired. The NIH grant covers four years of his research project.
Defects in DNA repair mechanisms, the tools cells use to fix damage, are associated with high instances of cellular mutations, called genomic instability. That instability is a prevailing cause of cancers and associated disorders.
Antony’s research will identify the mechanisms of proteins which repair lesions that occur through environmental carcinogens and incorrect DNA replication. The research is aimed at gaining a better understanding of how mutations in these enzymes cause cancer in order to better direct therapeutic interventions.
“Understanding the basic mechanisms of DNA repair helps address the root cause of the problem,” Antony said. “This grant will support understanding how cells protect their DNA and will hopefully help the broader science community in its fight against cancer.“
NIH is the largest provider of public funds for research, investing more than $32 billion annually.
