How do proliferating human cells maintain genome integrity?

Fumiko’s research goal is to understand how proliferating human cells guard their genomic DNA against various stresses coming from the environment and from normal processes of cell growth. She focuses on investigating homologous recombination (HR), which can provide error-free repair of DNA breaks, but can also alter genomic DNA if engaged inappropriately. Building on her earlier discoveries that central cell cycle drivers play important roles in the dynamic regulation of HR, her current work aims to elucidate how HR is activated at the right time and at the right location, and how erroneous recombination events are suppressed.