Vanessa Lopez

Graduate Student

Advisor: Steve Roberts, Ph.D.

Vanessa Lopez
Alma mater(s)
  • Washington State University

BIO

I am a doctoral candidate in Dr. Steven Roberts's lab, focusing on the mechanisms that drive specific mutation signatures in human cancers. My research explores the role of Topoisomerase 1 (TOP1) in generating transcription-associated mutations, aiming to understand how this enzyme contributes to mutagenesis in cancer.  I earned my B.S. in Biochemistry from Washington State University in 2021. As an undergraduate, I conducted research on novel enzyme inhibitors targeting prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA), a key biomarker in prostate cancer. I began my PhD studies in the Molecular Biosciences department at Washington State University, and after my second year, my lab and I transferred to the University of Vermont, where I am continuing my research in the Cellular, Molecular, and Biomedical Sciences program.

Area(s) of expertise

Transcription-associated TOP1-dependent mutations in human cancer

Bio

I am a doctoral candidate in Dr. Steven Roberts's lab, focusing on the mechanisms that drive specific mutation signatures in human cancers. My research explores the role of Topoisomerase 1 (TOP1) in generating transcription-associated mutations, aiming to understand how this enzyme contributes to mutagenesis in cancer.  I earned my B.S. in Biochemistry from Washington State University in 2021. As an undergraduate, I conducted research on novel enzyme inhibitors targeting prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA), a key biomarker in prostate cancer. I began my PhD studies in the Molecular Biosciences department at Washington State University, and after my second year, my lab and I transferred to the University of Vermont, where I am continuing my research in the Cellular, Molecular, and Biomedical Sciences program.

Areas of Expertise

Transcription-associated TOP1-dependent mutations in human cancer