DNA in our cells is constantly subjected to damage. Repairing this damage is essential to prevent diseases like cancer. However, not all DNA is the same, and this also applies to the mechanisms that repair the damage. Aniek Janssen, associate professor at UMC Utrecht, received a major grant of 2 million euros on December 3, 2024, to further study this topic in fruit flies.
The ERC Consolidator Grant 2024 from the European Research Council is a prestigious award aiming to support outstanding scientists and scholars as they establish their independent research teams and develop their most promising scientific ideas. Alongside 328 other European researchers, Aniek Janssen received this grant. With it, her team will work over the coming years to better understand cancer development and provide insights for potential new therapies.
Not all DNA is the same—so, what’s the difference? Our DNA is incredibly long but needs to fit into very small cells. To save space, it is tightly packed. This packing can be loose or very compact. When DNA is tightly packed, it’s referred to as heterochromatin—the central focus of Aniek’s research. “We specifically investigate how the repair of DNA damage works in heterochromatin, the compactly packed DNA,” Aniek explains. Research has shown that the DNA damage repair process in compact DNA differs from that in loosely packed DNA. Aniek’s team is delving into the molecular mechanisms underlying these differences, by studying these processes in fruit flies. Why fruitflies? “Fruitflies share 75% of the genes that cause diseases in humans. The DNA of fruitflies can be easily manipulated and they reproduce quickly. his makes them an ideal model for studying DNA damage repair,” Aniek explains.
In addition, they also examine the changes that occur in this tightly packed DNA in cancer cells. When cancer develops, numerous changes take place within these cells. However, little is known about the precise alterations in tightly packed DNA. “It’s important to consider how we can use this knowledge in the future. How does it go wrong in cancer, and what does that mean for potential new therapies?” Aniek concludes.
Read about the Jannsen lab at UMC Utrecht.
