Grace Leung PhD Student Group Kobor Lab Email Direct line +1 (604) 875-3833 Fax +1 (604) 875-3840

ADDITIONAL CONTACT INFORMATION

TRAINEE INFORMATION

Degree sought	PhD
Thesis topic	Functional Roles of the BRCT-Domain protein Rtt107 in the DNA Damage Response
Grad advisor	Dr. Michael S. Kobor

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Maintenance of genome integrity is critical for proper cellular function, with perturbations potentially having serious ramifications for health and disease, as best exemplified by cancer development. It is therefore vital to characterize the molecular mechanisms that stabilize the genome, including pathways for repair of DNA damaged through constant assault by chemicals or processes such as stalling of DNA replication forks. A common hallmark of the DNA damage response is the assembly of large protein complexes, often orchestrated in a distinct temporal and spatial sequence. This is mediated by specialized scaffolding proteins, which frequently share BRCT (BRCA1 C-terminal) domains as a key structural feature. Importantly, the mechanisms for DNA damage response appear to be conserved throughout evolution, providing the opportunity to take advantage of simple organisms such as yeast to allow for detailed genetic, biochemical and mechanistic investigations. My research focuses on the function of yeast Rtt107, a nuclear protein containing six BRCT domains which is important for the cellular response to DNA damage during S-phase. However, the genetic mechanisms, regulatory pathways, and protein complexes converging on Rtt107 remain to be fully discovered and are the central focus of my thesis project.

AWARDS & HONORS

NSERC Alexander Graham Bell Canada Graduate Scholarship

Publications