Research Techniques:
Mutations in the BRCA1(BReastCAncer 1) and BARD1(BRCA1-associatedRING domain protein 1) genes engender a high risk of developing cancers in various organs, including breast and ovarian. The heterodimeric complex formed by BRCA1 and BARD1 possesses a ubiquitin E3 ligase activity and has been implicated in several biological processes, namely, DNA damage signaling and repair, replication fork maintenance, transcription, cell cycle checkpoint regulation and RNA metabolism, by interacting with and conjugating ubiquitin to partners and regulators in these processes. In my laboratory, we want to investigate the BRCA1-BARD1 tumor suppressor network, with a major emphasis on its ubiquitin E3 ligase activity, and how mutations in BRCA1 and BARD1 lead to cell transformation and cancers. Such information garnered from these endeavors will help improve cancer risk assessment and identify critical targets for the development of novel cancer therapeutics.