Genome Integrity

Cells sustain thousands of DNA lesions every day from internal sources, including oxidative damage, replication errors and replication fork collapse, and from outside sources such as radiation and chemical agents. DNA damage and the resulting defects in DNA replication are a major source of genetic rearrangements that can cause diseases including cancer and aging. Additionally, DNA damaging agents see considerable use as therapeutics, particularly in cancer treatment. We perform high-throughput screens for global identification of genes and pathways that contribute to the DNA damage response and follow with detailed molecular biological and biochemical analysis of pathway components in order to understand how cells respond to and repair different types of DNA damage.

Plastic Destruction

Micro- and nanoplastics are among the most insidious and under-addressed pollutants of the 21st century. We are using synthetic biology and functional genomics approaches to engineer yeast whole-cell catalysts, with the goal of depolymerizing PET (water bottle plastic) for recycling, upcycling, and bioremediation.