Firestone 352
111 Colchester Ave
Burlington, VT 05405
United States
- University of North Carolina Chapel Hill
Microbiology & Molecular Genetics
BIO
Dr. Roberts obtained his Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Biophysics from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill in 2008. There, he studied the activities of the DNA end recognition protein, Ku, during non-homologous end joining of chromosome breaks under the direction of Dr. Dale Ramsden. Subsequently, he conducted post-doctoral training with Dr. Dmitry Gordenin at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina until 2014. During this time, Dr. Roberts studied the genome-wide distribution of damage-induced mutations in yeast and identified mechanisms resulting in simultaneous, closely spaced mutation clusters. This analysis also allowed the identification of similar mutation bursts in human cancers, called kataegis, which highlighted a major causative role of APOBEC cytidine deaminases in causing mutations as tumors develop. In 2014, Dr. Roberts started his independent research program at Washington State University in the School of Molecular Biosciences. His group determined a causative role for APOBEC3A in cancer mutagenesis, determined these enzymes mutated cancer genomes by deaminating replication intermediates, and identified the importance of atypical UV photoproducts in causing driver mutations in melanoma. He was recruited to the Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics in 2023 to continue studies on APOBECs, UV mutagenesis, transcription-associated mutagenesis, and oxidation-induced mutagenesis.
Publications
Area(s) of expertise
Genome dynamics: mechanisms of mutation and chromosome alteration that contribute to human cancer, Roles of APOBEC cytidine deaminases in cancer mutagenesis, DNA damage-induced mutation, UV-induced mutation, Mutagenic DNA double-strand break repair, Genome-wide mapping of DNA lesions
Bio
Dr. Roberts obtained his Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Biophysics from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill in 2008. There, he studied the activities of the DNA end recognition protein, Ku, during non-homologous end joining of chromosome breaks under the direction of Dr. Dale Ramsden. Subsequently, he conducted post-doctoral training with Dr. Dmitry Gordenin at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina until 2014. During this time, Dr. Roberts studied the genome-wide distribution of damage-induced mutations in yeast and identified mechanisms resulting in simultaneous, closely spaced mutation clusters. This analysis also allowed the identification of similar mutation bursts in human cancers, called kataegis, which highlighted a major causative role of APOBEC cytidine deaminases in causing mutations as tumors develop. In 2014, Dr. Roberts started his independent research program at Washington State University in the School of Molecular Biosciences. His group determined a causative role for APOBEC3A in cancer mutagenesis, determined these enzymes mutated cancer genomes by deaminating replication intermediates, and identified the importance of atypical UV photoproducts in causing driver mutations in melanoma. He was recruited to the Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics in 2023 to continue studies on APOBECs, UV mutagenesis, transcription-associated mutagenesis, and oxidation-induced mutagenesis.
Publications
Areas of Expertise
Genome dynamics: mechanisms of mutation and chromosome alteration that contribute to human cancer, Roles of APOBEC cytidine deaminases in cancer mutagenesis, DNA damage-induced mutation, UV-induced mutation, Mutagenic DNA double-strand break repair, Genome-wide mapping of DNA lesions