A new method for measuring DNA repair

Dr Samson’s lab is now working on adapting the new test so it can be used with blood samples taken from patients, allowing researchers to identify patients who are at higher risk of disease and potentially enabling prevention or earlier diagnosis of diseases linked to DNA repair.

Such a test could also be used to predict a patient’s response to chemotherapy or to determine how much radiation treatment a patient can tolerate.

The researchers also believe this test could be exploited to screen for new drugs that inhibit or enhance DNA repair. Inhibitors could be targeted to tumors to make them more susceptible to chemotherapy, while enhancers could help protect people who have been accidentally exposed to DNA-damaging agents, such as radiation.