Education:
Postdoc: 2007-2012 - Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA (Laboratory of Dr. Alan D'Andrea)
PhD: 2007 - Max-Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Martinsried, Germany and Ludwig-Maximillians University, Munich, Germany (Laboratory of Dr. Stefan Jentsch)
BS: 2001 - Department of Biochemistry, University of Bucharest, Romania
Research Interests:
Cells are continuously threatened by DNA damage. Efficient DNA repair is essential for protecting against cellular transformation. We have a longstanding interest in the basic mechanisms by which cells ensure the correct propagation of the genetic material, and how dysregulation of these mechanisms induces tumorigenesis. In this context, our specific research focus is the control of DNA repair by the replication factor PCNA and its post-translational modifications in human cells.
Our lab is using a combination of cellular, biochemical and genetic methods to investigate how DNA repair is suppressed in cancer cells. We believe that these studies will open new avenues for cancer prevention, detection and therapy.