Understanding the mechanisms of DNA damage and DNA repair is critical to identification and treatment of genetic diseases, evaluating the risks posed by carcinogens, and improving cancer therapy. Our lab studies how DNA becomes damaged in normal and diseased cells and how molecular machines in our cells detect and deal with this damage to avoid or minimize mutations. We use a broad range of experimental approaches, including cell biology, genetics, biochemistry, biophysics, and structural biology, to investigate these processes at the molecular and cellular level.