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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.

Open House poster presentation by Srijana and Priscilla
March 2023 – A poster session was held during the Open House for prospective students. Srijana and Priscilla presented their findings on oxidative DNA damage and bulky DNA-peptide crosslink (DpC), respectively.

Congrats Henric! Outstanding Service and Research Awardee
August 2022 – Henric received an “outstanding service and research award” from UConn Chemistry. This award recognizes a Chemistry graduate student for outstanding performance in research and service in the Department of Chemistry.

Good luck Stephen on your PhD journey!
Stephen Stanio (MCB, UConn Class of 2022) is pursuing a PhD in Biological Sciences at the University of Maryland – College Park.

New Paper in JACS
Our work about “Structural Dynamics of a Common Mutagenic Oxidative DNA Lesion in Duplex DNA and during DNA Replication” was published in JACS. This is in collaboration with Dr. Freudenthal of the University of Kansas Medical Center and Dr. Greenberg of Johns Hopkins University.

25th Annual Frontiers: Poster presentation by Stephen Stanio
Stephen Stanio (MCB, UConn Class of 2022) presented his project about the mutagenicity of the oxidative lesion 8-oxodG during the 25th annual Frontiers: Undergraduate research poster exhibition (April 9, 2022).

ACS Fall 2021: Poster presentation by Henric
Henric presented a poster with the title “Sequence context effects of replication of Fapy•dG in three mutational hot spot sequences of the p53 gene in human cells” during the ACS Fall 2021 conference in Atlanta, Georgia (August 2021).

New Paper in DNA Repair
Our work on “Sequence context effects of replication of Fapy•dG in three mutational hot spot sequences of the p53 gene in human cells” was published in DNA repair. This is in collaboration with Dr. Freudenthal of the University of Kansas Medical Center and Dr. Greenberg of Johns Hopkins University.