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Cell Cycle and Cancer Biology Research Program

Dean Dawson, Ph.D. Associate Member, Cell Cycle and Cancer Biology Research Program

In my lab, we study chromosome behavior.  We use yeast as a model for our studies, as yeast and humans use the same basic machinery, but the yeast system allows data to be obtained much more quickly.  The information obtained from the yeast studies is then confirmed using mammalian models, such as mice or human cell lines.

We currently focus our research on two problems.  First, we have made much progress in recent years in elucidating the kinds of cellular components that are important for preventing errors in meiosis (the cell division process that is used to produce gametes).  Our findings, which were reported in two high profile journals (Genes and Development and Nature Genetics), reveal fundamental processes that can fail and lead to infertility and birth defects, such as Down syndrome.  In our second project, we are characterizing a gene in yeast that we believe will help us to understand a class of genes (the TACC family of genes) implicated in some breast and colon cancers.  Presently, the functioning and involvement of these genes in the development of cancer is a mystery; thus, our endeavors will hopefully provide more understanding.  This research ties in nicely with the ongoing work in OMRF’s Cell Cycle and Cancer Biology Research Program.