Research interest
Grace is interested in investigating the role of ATM kinase in oxidative stress response in cells, especially neurons. ATM is a key DNA damage response (DDR) protein kinase, and its role in double-stranded breaks (DBSs) response has been well established. However, its involvement in oxidative stress response in the presence of reactive oxygen species, which arise from metabolic activities, is not well explored. This aspect of ATM role is likely important for understanding the neuromotor phenotypes of patients suffering from the neurodegenerative disease, Ataxia-Telangiectasia (A-T).
Grace uses CRISPR-Cas9 whole-genome screens on ATM-deficient cells to look for novel therapeutic targets for A-T. She validates results from those screens in a wide range of cell types including mature human cortical neurons. Combined with other molecular biology experiments and high-throughput tools such as RNAseq and phosphoproteomics, she aims to identify novel DDR elements and pathways that can potentially contribute in new therapies for A-T patients.
