USA researchers published in DNA Repair journal

Graduate student Griffin Wright conducts 

research in the lab at the Mitchell Cancer 

Institute. 

Griffin Wright, a student in the University of South Alabama basic medical sciences graduate program, and Natalie Gassman, Ph.D., assistant professor of physiology and cell biology at the USA College of Medicine and a cancer researcher at USA Health Mitchell Cancer Institute, recently published an article in DNA Repair.

The article, titled “Transcriptional dysregulation of base excision repair proteins in breast cancer,” is a graphical review of the mechanisms of transcriptional regulation, which refers to the means by which a cell regulates the conversion of DNA to RNA. Because graphical reviews are limited in text, Wright developed unique visual representations of how base excision repair (BER) proteins are regulated under normal cell conditions and in the context of cancer. 

“Notably, Griffin’s work highlights the asymmetry in our knowledge of how specific BER proteins, which are overexpressed in breast and other cancers, are regulated,” explained Gassman, who is also a member of the USA Center for Lung Biology. 

The review emphasizes that by understanding the transcriptional regulation of these proteins in breast cancers, particularly triple negative breast cancer, researchers may identify new molecular targets to improve therapeutic outcomes, Gassman said.

The article was part of a special issue of the journal to honor Samuel H. Wilson, M.D., a pioneer in understanding the structure-function relationships of BER proteins. Wilson served as Gassman’s mentor during her postdoctoral research at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.

“It was a very rewarding and unique experience authoring a graphical review as a graduate student,” Wright said. “I was very humbled to be a part of a tribute to Dr. Wilson, whose impact on the field of BER is incomparable. As a young scientist, I strive to emulate Dr. Wilson in my own work, and I am thankful for his contributions to the scientific community.”