Cycle 7 - August 2022 OEFC Research Voucher Awards

Large OEFC Research Voucher Award(s)(up to 25% total costs capped at a $10,000 maximum): Large research voucher applications will be provided to subsidize already funded EHS research (for example NIEHS).

Principal Investigator:J. Christopher States, Ph.D.
Collaborator:Lu Cai, M.D., Ph.D. and Alexandra Nail, Ph.D.
Title: Disruption of Human MRN Complex Signaling by Heavy Metal Exposure
Lay Description: Heavy metals are common toxic environmental contaminants and exposure is widespread. Many are known to induce cancer in humans. Several metals such as arsenic and cadmium are known to induce chromosomal instability which plays a role in carcinogenesis. However, the mechanism is unknown. DNA double strand breaks are potentially lethal DNA damage and contribute to chromosomal instability. Our NIEHS funded project revealed that DNA damage signaling mechanisms were dysregulated in skin cells chronically exposed to arsenic. This research voucher expands on our prior work and focuses on the ability of arsenic and cadmium to disrupt the mechanism signaling the presence of DNA double strand breaks to the DNA repair and cell cycle regulatory systems.