A cell in anaphase with an ultra-fine DNA bridge marked by BLM staining (red) with foci of FANCD2 (green) at the bridge tips

Genomic instability is one of the defining features of cancer cells, and is associated with both tumorigenesis and tumour progression. The goal of our laboratory is to elucidate the genetic and biochemical basis for genomic instability in human cancers. Armed with this knowledge, we aim to exploit the fundamental differences that exist between normal and neoplastic cells for the development of new preventative or curative therapies for cancer. Our recent focus has been on so-called chromosomal instability disorders of man in which cancer predisposition is a feature. One of these, Bloom’s syndrome (BS), is caused by defect in BLM. This encodes a member of the RecQ helicase family, which also includes the Werner’s syndrome gene product (WRN) required to prevent premature ageing. Helicases catalyze the separation of the complementary strands of duplex DNA, and play roles in DNA replication, repair and recombination.