Christopher Bakkenist, PhD

Summary

Radiation therapy and many chemotherapies induce DNA damage. These therapies work because cancer cells divide more rapidly than normal cells and cancer cells acquire mutations that change their DNA damage responses and DNA repair mechanisms. Nevertheless, radiation and DNA damaging chemotherapies may not generate long-term responses as the dose of DNA damage required to kill all cancer cells may kill too many normal cells – dose limiting toxicity. The Bakkenist Lab studies how pharmacologic DNA damage response inhibitors can be used to increase the damage induced in cancer cells and potentiate anti-tumor immune responses. Our long-term goals are to develop new therapeutic approaches to manage human cancer.

Visit the Bakkenist Lab Website to learn more.