Li Lan, M.D., Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Department of Molecular Genetics & Microbiology
Duke University School of Medicine
Durham, North Carolina

Faculty Host: Zhongsheng You, Ph.D.

“Understanding and targeting RNA-dependent DNA repair in Cancer”

Li Lan, M.D., Ph.D.

The Lan Lab is dedicated to researching how cancer cells respond to DNA damage through DNA repair mechanisms and developing innovative strategies to target these pathways in cancer therapy. Our significant contributions include uncovering the critical role of PARP in DNA repair, leading to successful applications of PARP inhibitors in the treatment of breast, ovarian, and other types of cancer. We study how DNA responds to oxidative damage at specific chromosomal locations, significantly advancing our understanding of DNA damage response in different chromosomal environments. Furthermore, our recent investigations have revealed a novel mRNA and R-loop-dependent DNA repair pathway that acts as a protective mechanism for the transcribed regions of the genome, introducing a new paradigm in the field of DNA repair research.