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Our Research

Our research focuses on the initiation phase in the development of cancer. We also study the molecular mechanism of certain anti-cancer drugs that damage DNA. Our goals are to understand the biological outcome of DNA damages caused by nitroaromatic carcinogens, γ-radiation, and the antitumor drug, mitomycin C. Using tools of organic chemistry, chemical biology, molecular biology, and biochemistry, the Basu research team investigates the mechanistic details as to how the differences in organisms, DNA polymerases, and repair proteins may influence the outcome of a lesion in DNA.

New mini-review paper in DNA
May 2024 – A mini-review paper “Mutagenesis and Repair of γ-Radiation-and Radical-Induced Tandem DNA Lesions“, written and edited by Dr. Ashis Basu, Dr. Laureen Colis, and Dr. Henric Bacurio, was published in DNA.

New Paper in Journal of Biochemistry
February 2024 – Our paper 5-Formylcytosine mediated DNA-peptide cross-link induces predominantly semi-targeted mutations in both Escherichia coli and human cells was published in JBC. This work is in collaboration with Jenna Thomforde, Qi Zhang, Honnaiah Vijay Kumar, Holly Den Hartog, and Dr. Natalia Y Tretyakova.

New Paper in DNA Repair
June 2023 – Our paper “Synergistic effects on mutagenicity of tandem lesions containing 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2ʹ-deoxyguanosine or Fapy•dG flanked by a 3ʹ 5-formyl-2ʹ-deoxyuridine in human cells” was published in DNA Repair. This work is in collaboration with Shijun Gao, Haozhe Yang, and Dr. Marc Greenberg of Johns Hopkins University.

Congratulations, Dr. Henric Bacurio!
June 15, 2023: Jan Henric T. Bacurio successfully defended his dissertation.

UConn 2023 Graduation Ceremony for Doctorate Students
May 8, 2023 – Henric, together with his parents, and Dr. Ashis Basu attended the UConn 2023 Graduation Ceremony for Doctorate Students held in Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts.

New Paper in Chemical Research in Toxicology
April 2023 – Our paper “8-Oxo-2′-deoxyguanosine Replication in Mutational Hot Spot Sequences of the p53 Gene in Human Cells Is Less Mutagenic than That of the Corresponding Formamidopyrimidine” was published in Chemical Research in Toxicology. Stephen Stanio and Henric Bacurio headed this project, the paper’s first authors, and are in collaboration with Dr. Greenberg of […]

26th Annual Frontiers: Poster presentation by Alessandra Bassani
April 14, 2023 – Alessandra Bassani (Major in MCB, Minor in PNB and Italian Literature and Cultural Studies, UConn Class of 2023) presented her project, toxicity and mutagenicity of the bulky DNA-peptide crosslink (DpC) lesion when replicated in bacterial cells, during the 26th annual frontiers: undergraduate research poster exhibition.