Senior Group Leader
- Research Group Home Page:
Prof Steve Jackson PhD FRS FMedSci
Frederick James Quick Professor of Biology
My academic research aims to better understand how cells detect and repair DNA damage and signal its presence to affect myriad aspects of cell biology. My laboratory has a strong track record of using a broad range of cell and molecular biological techniques and approaches, in both mammalian and yeast cells.
My discovery that DNA breaks trigger DNA-PK kinase activity established a paradigm for DNA damage detection and signalling, leading us to identify the first non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ) DNA-repair proteins. Subsequently, we identified and/or determined functions for these and other core NHEJ proteins, showing how they and additional DDR factors interact in regulated ways.
We have defined many aspects of the DDR, particularly those controlling and/or mediated by phosphorylation, ubiquitylation, sumoylation and/or chromatin modifications. In 1995, we found that DDR-enzyme-targeting compounds could selectively kill cancer cells, and that defects in some cause DNA-damage hypersensitivity in the absence of others.
Knowing that DDR defects occur in cancer, I founded KuDOS Pharmaceuticals: the world’s first DNA-repair company. KuDOS developed the innovative precision anti-cancer medicine olaparib/LynparzaTM that is enhancing and extending the lives of thousands of patients worldwide. My academic laboratory is currently further defining mechanisms of DNA repair and associated processes, with a view to delivering new biological insights and identifying new therapeutic opportunities for cancer and other diseases.
It is my belief that a deeper knowledge of DNA repair and DDR pathways will yield better understandings of diseases that arise when such pathways are impaired or deregulated.
- Work address:
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute University of Cambridge Li Ka Shing Centre Robinson Way Cambridge CB2 0RE
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Transcription-coupled repair of DNA–protein cross-links depends on CSA and CSB
E-pub date: 10 Apr 2024Journal name: Nat Cell Biol
RAD54L2 counters TOP2-DNA adducts to promote genome stability.
E-pub date: 8 Dec 2023Journal name: Sci Adv
- Research Integrity Conflict of Interest Disclosure:
- Last revised:
- 02/11/2022
Company Active Research funding Ownership Royalty payments Commitment to carry out work for a fee Ad hoc reimbursed work Travel Gifts/ other AstraZeneca Yes Yes No No No Yes No No GSK Yes Yes No No No Yes No No Mission Therapeutics Ltd Yes Yes Yes No Yes No No No Adrestia Therapeutics Ltd Yes Yes Yes No Yes No No No Tailor Bio Yes No Yes No No Yes No No Ahren Innovation Capital Yes No Yes No No Yes No No Inflex Ltd Yes No No No No Yes No No
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