School of Life Sciences

University of Dundee

School of Research

Short Code: 
SoR

DNA damage and faulty repair jointly cause mutations

Whole genome sequencing gives new insights into cancer genomics

Summary

  • By analysing genomic data from worms, scientists detailed how mutations are caused by a combination of DNA damage and inaccurate repair
  • This shows that a single DNA-damaging agent can generate a multitude of mutational signatures depending on the repair mechanisms involved in fixing the original damage 
  • The research could help pinpoint the causes of mutations found in the genomes of cancer patients and healthy individuals

Van Aalten group identify new class of disease

Researchers in the School have discovered a new neurodevelopmental disease caused by genetic mutations and helped explain why patients with these mutations suffer this condition.

Around 1% of the global population are affected by intellectual disability, a condition characterised by significant limitations in both intellectual function and in adaptive behaviour. It was known that a molecule called GlcNAc was found on proteins related to intellectual disability, but its exact role in this disease remained unclear.

Online research conference involving Dundee draws national attention in Kazakhstan

Despite the coronavirus lockdown, researchers from MRC PPU are continuing to attend online meetings, seminars and conferences to share ideas with researchers around the world. Last week, Nicola Darling, a postdoctoral researcher in Philip Cohen’s lab, moderated the Health and Sustainable Development session at the Third Central Asian Research Forum on Sustainable Development and Innovation that involved researchers based in or from Kazakhstan.

£1.6 million award will bring machine learning into life sciences

A University of Dundee researcher has been awarded £1.6 million in funding from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) to develop machine learning tools for the life sciences.

Machine learning has rapidly transformed many aspects of our daily lives in the last decade. It is also increasingly playing a vital role in analysing biomedical data. However, using these techniques to answer fundamental, mechanistic questions about biological processes remains challenging.

Dundee part of expanding international research effort against COVID-19

The University of Dundee is working with partners around the world as part of an expanding effort to rapidly repurpose existing drugs against Covid-19.

An international research network established by Scripps Research centres around ReFRAME, the world’s leading collection of drugs known to be safe in humans.

The network of collaborating scientific laboratories is aiming to leverage ReFRAME to find antiviral compounds against the novel coronavirus.

University provides vital PPE equipment for front line community response

The University of Dundee has provided supplies of PPE equipment to Dundee City Council for use by front line public health, social and community care workers across the city.

Facemasks, gloves and other equipment was gathered from across the University, including Life Sciences, to be used by council staff who are working across the community to deliver vital services through the coronavirus pandemic, providing care, support and comfort to vulnerable people across Dundee and Tayside.

Dundee researchers target protein to tackle COVID-19

University of Dundee researchers are studying a protein that aids the spread of COVID-19 in the hope of finding ways of blocking its function.

The team, from the University’s Medical Research Council Protein Phosphorylation and Ubiquitylation Unit (MRC-PPU) are working in partnership with the Drug Discovery Unit (DDU) to study an enzyme found within the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19 infection.

Dundee expertise aids COVID-19 testing effort

The University of Dundee has helped establish Scotland’s central COVID-19 testing facility in support of the national response to the coronavirus pandemic.

The centre, based at the University of Glasgow, was announced by the UK Government yesterday as part of a series of measures to increase testing and response to the spread of COVID-19 across the UK. It will be opened in collaboration with the Scottish Government and industry experts from BioAscent Discovery Ltd and Dundee’s Drug Discovery Unit (DDU).

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