Dutch biologist Professor Jan Hoeijmakers, one of the world's leading authorities on DNA repair, will give two lectures on campus next week about his research on the role of DNA-repair genes in cancer, inherited diseases and aging.
Hoeijmakers, head of the Institute of Genetics at the Erasmus University Rotterdam (The Netherlands) will speak Monday on "Nucleotide Excision Repair: Maintaining Nature's Perfection" and on Wednesday on "DNA Repair and Transcription in Living Cells."
Both lectures - made possible by the Division of Biological Sciences' endowed Storer Lectureship in the Life Sciences - begin at 4:10 p.m. in 180 Medical Science Building 1C in the Medical Science Complex.
DNA, the carrier of genetic information, is continually being damaged, whether by ultraviolet light (for example, from skiing without sunscreen), chemicals, X-rays, or compounds and processes naturally occurring in the body.
Cellular DNA repair processes normally fix such damage, preventing genetic mutations, genomic instability and cancer. However, some people carry genetic diseases with defects in these DNA repair genes, leading to developmental defects and a predisposition to cancer. Many researchers believe understanding the mechanisms of DNA repair is key to improving cancer treatment.
Hoeijmakers and his team have made a number of critical discoveries in the DNA repair field. They cloned the first human DNA repair gene, ERCC1, which is involved in xeroderma pigmentosum, a human DNA repair deficiency syndrome leading to predisposition to sun-light-induced skin cancer. Hoeijmakers developed a number of mouse models crucial to the understanding of human DNA repair disorders, and discovered a link between DNA repair, transcription and aging. In a new line of his research he explores new connections between DNA repair and transcription in living cells.
Hoeijmakers' team also identified two light-harvesting proteins in mice that appear to be involved in adjusting the biological clock to night and day.
In recognition of his ground-breaking contributions to the understanding of the molecular mechanisms of carcinogenesis, Hoeijmakers has received a number of prizes, including the 1995 Louis Jeantet Prize for innovative medical research; the 1999 Spinoza award, the Netherlands' highest scientific award; and the 2000 Descartes award, given by European Community for outstanding scientific accomplishments.
Kathleen Holder is communications manager for the Division of Biological Sciences.