Dheva Setiaputra

Areas of interest

Maintaining genome stability is a challenge that every form of life must address. It is a fundamental biochemical process that plays a critical role in both disease development and therapy. For example, improper repair of DNA damage induces mutations that give rise to cancer. However, the inherent DNA repair deficiency of cancerous cells can be exploited by genotoxic therapy that results in specific cell death. Furthermore, with the advent of CRISPR-based therapeutics, the cellular response to Cas9-induced DNA breaks has resounding effects in clinical outcomes. It is essential to understand the molecular pathways that facilitate DNA repair to exploit it for cancer and gene therapy.

In the Setiaputra lab, we focus on exploring the molecular mechanisms underlying DNA repair pathway choice. There are multiple potential pathways that respond to DNA damage, and which pathway is brought to bear carries profound implications in the toxicity and mutational outcomes caused by specific genotoxic insults. The molecular basis of the cellular decisions leading to a specific repair trajectory is poorly understood. We use mammalian cell culture combined with biochemistry, cell biology, genomics, and computational biology to address this gap in understanding. Our ultimate goal is to leverage fundamental DNA repair research to identify novel targets and paradigms in targeted cancer therapy and gene editing.

Education

• BSc Honours., Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of British Columbia
• PhD, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of British Columbia
• Postdoctoral fellow, Lunenfeld_Tanenbaum Research Institute