Patrick Sung, DPhil
Professor of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, and of Therapeutic Radiology and of Epidemiology
Departments & Organizations
Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry: Sung Lab
School of Public Health: Environmental Health Sciences
Therapeutic Radiology: Radiobiology
Yale Cancer Center: Radiobiology & Radiotherapy
Yale Combined Program in the Biological and Biomedical Sciences (BBS): Biochemistry, Quantitative Biology, Biophysics and Structural Biology (BQBS): Cell Cycle and Signal Transduction; DNA Dynamics and Transcriptional Regulation | Molecular Cell Biology, Genetics and Development: Signal Transduction
Office of Cooperative Research
Biography
I have a strong commitment toward understanding how yeast and human cells engage homologous recombination (HR) as tool in eliminating DNA breaks and crosslinks. As first defined in S. cerevisiae, HR is mediated by genes of the RAD52 epistasis group. The efficiency of HR catalyzed by the RAD51 recombinase is regulated by the tumor suppressors BRCA1, BRCA2, PALB2, and BLM and by components of the Fanconi anemia (FA) pathway of DNA damage response/repair in humans, providing compelling evidence for a key role of HR in cancer avoidance. Our studies have already led to many original findings and provided much-needed conceptual and experimental frameworks for the continual dissection of HR and FA mechanisms. To date, I have published over 200 original research articles.
Education & Training
| DPhil | University of Oxford (1985) |
|---|---|
| BS | University of Liverpool (1981) |
| Postdoctoral Fellow | University of Rochester |
Professional Service
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National Advisory Environmental Health Sciences Council (2017 - Present) Committee Member
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Journal of Biological Chemistry (2015 - Present) Associate Editor
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Faculty Stockroom Advisory Committee (2005 - Present) Committee Member
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Genes & Development (2000 - Present) Editorial Board
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DNA Repair Board Member
