Group seminar with Dr. Hailey Gahlon

2019-07-26    09:00

Prof. Dr. Carell invites you to the planned group seminar. Guests are very welcome! The group seminar starts on July 26, 2019 at 9:00 a.m.

Referent: Dr. Hailey Gahlon, ETH Zürich, Schweiz

Title: “Chemical mechanisms of nuclear and mitochondrial genome instability”

Genome instability is often the result of sporadic errors in DNA replication and repair. Fidelity during replication ensures the correct transmission of genetic material. DNA polymerases make numerous decisions during replication, for example when confronted with an error in DNA. Errors can arise from the incorrect insertion of a nucleotide during replication or the presence of DNA damage on the template strand. While the integrity of the genome is a central aspect in human health, basic mechanisms regarding DNA replication and lesion bypass remain elusive. Further, mechanisms involved in maintaining the structural integrity of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) are poorly understood compared to those of the nuclear genome. This is surprising given the small size of mtDNA at 16.5 kb and its importance in human health and metabolism. The goal of our research is to study how structural alterations in DNA, in particular mtDNA, are linked to aging and human pathologies like cancer, myopathies, and neurodegeneration. To this end, we are leveraging single-molecule FRET imaging, nucleic acid chemistry and super-resolution microscopy to visualize molecular mechanisms of genome instability. Overall, our findings will help in understanding the role that mitochondria play in cancer etiology and discovering biomarkers for human disease prevention.

Department Chemie der LMU München
Butenandtstr. 5-13, Leipelt-Seminarraum (C2.003)
81377 München