Guang Peng is currently working at Department of Clinical Cancer Prevention. The overall goal of my laboratory is to apply the basic knowledge of genome maintenance mechanisms to early detection and cancer prevention. More specifically, by understanding and targeting the DNA repair network, our research aim to address two key questions: (1) Can we identify genetic alterations in the DNA repair network at early stages of carcinogenesis, particularly during the transition from premalignant lesions to cancer? (2) Can we identify targeted prevention strategies for the premalignant lesions with particular genetic alterations? Recent work in my laboratory explores the following directions. Identify genetic alterations in the DNA repair network that occur at early stage of carcinogenesis We aim to investigate the novel functions of chromatin remodeling complex SWI/SNF, human nucleases/helicases DNA2 and mutational enzyme APOBEC3B in promoting tumorigenesis by both in vitro and in vivo studies, which may lead to identification of new strategy for early detection and intervention. We are also work to understand how environmental and endogenous factors reshape the landscape of cellular genome by targeting epigenetic regulatory machineries.

Discover novel agents targeting the DNA repair network by genetic and chemical approaches We aim to utilize chemical screening and bioinformatics’ tools as our drug-discovery platforms to systematically identify chemical compounds that target the DNA repair network. We will determine whether the reduction of cellular tolerance to replication stress by modulating DNA repair process would lead a synthetic lethality interaction in premalignant cells with hyperactive DNA replication. These candidate compounds will be tested for their cancer preventive and therapeutic effects.