Renier Velez-Cruz, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics
Orcid identifier0000-0003-1857-4312 (opens in a new tab)
- Associate ProfessorBiochemistry and Molecular Genetics
- 630-515-6047
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Targeting DNA repair and transcription to enhance the efficacy of cancer therapies.
Radiotherapy and the vast majority of chemotherapeutic agents that are currently used to treat cancer kill tumor cells by damaging their DNA. DNA double strand breaks (DSBs) are one of the most toxic lesions caused by many of these agents. My laboratory studies the cellular mechanisms that repair these DNA lesions and how chromatin affects these repair pathways. We are particularly interested in the homologous recombination (HR) repair pathway. We have identified the SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complex as important for HR. We specifically identified the ATPase subunit within this complex (BRG1) as important for HR.
SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complexes contain 10-15 subunits and the function of the majority of these subunits is unknown. Various subunits within these complexes are mutated at high frequencies in multiple types of cancer. We have now identified various other subunits (in addition to BRG1) within the SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complexes as important for HR and we are in the process of dissecting the function of these subunits in this repair pathway. We intend to do a systematic study of the function of multiple subunits within the SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complexes. This work could allow us to identify specific cancer types with mutations in SWI/SNF subunits that would be sensitive to specific chemotherapeutic regimens.
In addition to the repair of DSBs, the transcriptional response to DNA damage has important implications for the efficacy of cancer therapies. SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complexes are known to play important roles in transcription regulation. As a long-term goal, my lab intends to study the function of SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complexes in the transcriptional response to DNA damage. We will focus our attention to the subunits within these complexes that do not play an important role in the repair of DSBs.
DNA double strand break repair
Cancer therapy
Transcription regulation and epigenetics
Radiotherapy and the vast majority of chemotherapeutic agents that are currently used to treat cancer kill tumor cells by damaging their DNA. DNA double strand breaks (DSBs) are one of the most toxic lesions caused by many of these agents. My laboratory studies the cellular mechanisms that repair these DNA lesions and how chromatin affects these repair pathways. We are particularly interested in the homologous recombination (HR) repair pathway. We have identified the SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complex as important for HR. We specifically identified the ATPase subunit within this complex (BRG1) as important for HR.
SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complexes contain 10-15 subunits and the function of the majority of these subunits is unknown. Various subunits within these complexes are mutated at high frequencies in multiple types of cancer. We have now identified various other subunits (in addition to BRG1) within the SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complexes as important for HR and we are in the process of dissecting the function of these subunits in this repair pathway. We intend to do a systematic study of the function of multiple subunits within the SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complexes. This work could allow us to identify specific cancer types with mutations in SWI/SNF subunits that would be sensitive to specific chemotherapeutic regimens.
In addition to the repair of DSBs, the transcriptional response to DNA damage has important implications for the efficacy of cancer therapies. SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complexes are known to play important roles in transcription regulation. As a long-term goal, my lab intends to study the function of SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complexes in the transcriptional response to DNA damage. We will focus our attention to the subunits within these complexes that do not play an important role in the repair of DSBs.
DNA double strand break repair
Cancer therapy
Transcription regulation and epigenetics
GRANTS
- EXTRAMURAL RESEARCH GRANTThe Role of SWI/SNF Chromatin Remodelers in Homologous Recombination and Genome StabilityNIH R1510 Aug 2022 - 31 Jul 2025People funded by this grant:
- Velez-Cruz R
- GRANT APPLICATIONNIH R15People funded by this grant:
- Velez-Cruz R