4th year student with The MRC Cancer Unit.
Approximately 5.5 million people worldwide carry inherited mutations in the BRCA2 gene leading to greatly increased risks of cancer. For instance, 85% of women with BRCA2 mutations develop breast cancer. Why these people get cancer is not fully understood. My research has identified a protein that helps BRCA2 ensure cells do not divide with damaged DNA – a potential cause of cancer development. I have also shown that inhibiting this protein in combination with chemotherapy drugs preferentially kills BRCA2 deficient cells, thus highlighting an exciting potential drug target for cancer sufferers with BRCA2 mutations.
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