Andrew Deans

🧬 New from crystal structures from our lab in EMBO Journal! We reveal how the FANCM enzyme, an emerging therapeutic target it cancer, has evolved to specifically recognise branched DNA and activate the Fanconi anaemia pathway of DNA repair. doi.org/10.1038/s443... 🧵👇

IMO the paper of the year in the gene regulation field - such a clean and clear study, showing how promoter-enhancer contacts mediate transcriptional activation. www.cell.com/cell/abstrac...

Working with a great team to organize @keystoneSymposia.bsky.social DNA Replication: Pathway Crosstalk Shaping Physiology and Disease, this April! Join us to explore emerging research in London! keysym.us/KSDNA27 #KSDNA27

Take a look at the EMBO Workshop on Evolution and Diversity of the DDR (Feb 23–27, 2027, India). There are plenty of speaking slots for trainees selected from submitted abstracts. Great opportunity to share your work and join the discussion! meetings.embo.org/event/27-dna...

What molecular mechanisms underlie the needle-in-a-haystack search for homology required to fix a DNA break? In this preprint, we reveal multiple controls of homology search in cells: onset, coordination, reach and inactivation. www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...

An extraordinary new paper shows how the RAD51 recombinase, which is canonically involved in DNA repair by HR, has an additional role in generating NETS (Neutrophil extracellular traps). These highly branched DNAs are released by immune cells to trap pathogens www.science.org/doi/full/10....

Our latest work describing DDIAS as a new component of the TOPBP1-CIP2A pathway in mitosis and its requirement for brain development is now published. Fantastic collaboration with @fenaochs.bsky.social, @profstewartlab.bsky.social, Lars Allan Larsen, @tcr-miller.bsky.social, Zafar Iqbal & others

🧬 How is MCM2-7 switched on? Our paper shows DDK phosphorylation exposes Sld3-binding sites on Mcm4/Mcm6. Sld3-Cdc45 then delivers Cdc45 to Mcm2/Mcm5, driving CMG assembly. In summary, our work explains why MCM2-7 phosphorylation is needed to turn on replication. www.nature.com/articles/s41...

A study by @zhaolabski.bsky.social at @mskeducation.bsky.social and colleagues reveal how DNA and ATP binding by the multiple subunits of the SUMO ligase complex Smc5/6 enable its efficient SUMOylation of genome maintenance proteins

Join SVI this #NationalScienceWeek for Decoding the future of medical research, a free public event exploring how artificial intelligence is reshaping the future of healthcare. Register now: events.humanitix.com/svi-presents...

Amazing structures, and distinct binding modes, of TOPBP1 or ETAA1 activating the ATR-ATRIP kinase by an allosteric mechanism. In NSMB from Pavletich lab: www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Happy to share ProTiler-Mut, a computational framework that leverages CRISPR tiling screens to map protein mutation–phenotype relationships, developed by Wei He and @hanxu-mdacc.bsky.social in collaboration with @raphguerois.bsky.social and our group. authors.elsevier.com/c/1nKys_siQz...

A ubiquitin chain-feeding mechanism for BRCA1-A https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.06.05.730370v1

Fantastic meeting coming up July31-Aug2 in LA for those researchers and clinicians working on the genetic disorder Bloom Syndrome, associated with loss of DNA repair. Submit your poster abstracts by June 19 event.fourwaves.com/bloom-rx2026... www.bloomsyndromeassociation.org

Excited to finally share our preprint on mapping the genetic interaction network of the DNA damage response with combinatorial knockout screens led by Sam Hayward, Alina Vaitsiankova, and Tomas Lama-Diaz! www.biorxiv.org/cgi/content/...

Here is a link to my student Mitch's final published paper on the activity of Rad51 and Rad54 during the homology search. genesdev.cshlp.org/content/40/1...

The human genome's most variable and clinically important regions (centromeres, telomeres, and acrocentric short arms) have been hardest to study at scale. Thrilled to share KaryoScope, our new preprint that brings them within reach. 🧵 www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...

Every discovery begins with a bright spark✨ Donate now to support the next generation of scientists at SVI and help make future discoveries possible: www.svi.edu.au/support-us/d...

Happy to share our new review in @annualreviews.bsky.social on abasic sites and their impact on DNA replication written by @angelotaglialatela.bsky.social. www.annualreviews.org/content/jour...

This is going to be an awesome day, covering clinical translation of cell and gene therapies in Australia, held at the brand new ACMD building in Melbourne. Previous meetings have been excellent, and oversubscribed - make sure to register ASAP www.eventbrite.com.au/e/advances-i...

🕛🕔🕗 Heads up! Fragile Nucleosome Seminar is at a special time this week: 2pm US West / 5pm US East / 10pm UK / 6am Tokyo / 7am Melbourne We'll have outstanding talks on chromatin from Shabih Shakeel and @kazu-maeshima.bsky.social !!! register here: us06web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

An in-press version of our latest paper in @natcomms.nature.com on phospho-activated protein-protein interactions with ssDNA-binding protein RPA during BIR. If your favorite pathway involves RPA, this may be for you! Thanks to the lab, collaborators & @ukri.org! www.nature.com/articles/s41...

We show that the E3 ubiquitin ligase DTX2 creates a dual hybrid ADP-ribosyl-ubiquitin mark (ADPr-Ub) at DNA damage sites, driving the recruitment of RNF114, RNF138, and RNF166 proteins independently of HPF1. journals.plos.org/plosbiology/...

Excited to announce: the EMBO Workshop: DNA damage response in cell physiology & diseases - 12–16 Oct 2026 - in stunning Sounio, Greece - fabulous speaker speaker lineup representing the cutting-edge of genome stability research: Abstract deadline: 17 May meetings.embo.org/event/26-dna... Join us!

Most genetic interaction studies measure gene relationships in one condition, but environment can reshape which genes depend on each other. Today in Molecular Cell, Luke Gilbert & team deliver the first systematic, multi-condition map of genetic rewiring in human cells.

Happy to share our new pre-print on the dependency of ALT-positive tumors on the DNA translocase SMARCAL1. Outstanding work of @angelotaglialatela.bsky.social in collaboration with the Min, Lazzerini Denchi and @cejkalab.bsky.social laboratories! www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...

Today, we’re launching a new company, ALTx Therapeutics. Founded by Simon Boulton, the company will develop the first precision therapies targeting ALT cancers, in partnership with Slingshot Therapeutics Limited and @crhorizons.bsky.social. Find out more ➡️ www.crick.ac.uk/news/2026-02...

A 1-day Melbourne workshop on Gene Editing in Blood and Immune Cells. February 20, register at editblood.com

2/Led by @hildapickett.bsky.social, with co-investigators @genomestability.bsky.social, @lisannes.bsky.social, Jacob Lewis, @yuhenglau.bsky.social, Sarah Henrikus, & the Cesare Lab, this project brings together expertise in telomere biology, DNA repair, biochemistry, drug discovery, & cell biology.

1/Delighted to be part of a team from @cmri.bsky.social, @sydney.edu.au, the University of Wollongong, and SVI (Melbourne) awarded a $5M NHMRC Synergy Grant to explore: “A mechanistic approach to developing precision therapies for ALT-dependent cancers.” www.nhmrc.gov.au/funding/find...

Just updated my X/Twitter profile. I suggest you try to encourage any colleagues remaining on that pit to do the same. Such a shame, as it was such an important place of science until not that long ago. :-(

8–11 June 2026 | 📍 Heraklion, Crete 🇬🇷 Get ready for Machines on Genes 2026, the 94th Harden Conference by the @biochemsoc.bsky.social — four days of molecular mechanisms and friendly discussions! 🧬☀️🔬❄️ Organised by @lapassmore.bsky.social, Dana Branzei, me.

New @natcomms.nature.com paper today from Tracy Bryan's lab @cmri.bsky.social: "Nuclear actin and DNA replication stress regulate telomere maintenance by telomerase". Happy our lab could play a small part. Congrats Tracy, Ash Harman, Noa Lamm and the whole team. www.nature.com/articles/s41...

No, not that FANCL! New paper on FancL mutant mouse just out in @bloodadvances.bsky.social shows essential function of E3 RING ligase activity to phenotypes of #FanconiAnemia plus, Black Friday deal: a new model for testing gene editing therapies: ashpublications.org/bloodadvance...

Finally! We have a FANCM:RMI inhibitor that is cell active and specifically kills ALT+ cancer cells 🎯 @yuhenglau.bsky.social + my labs just published the first cell-active peptide inhibitors of this critical target in 10-15% of cancers. doi.org/10.1021/acs....

Chromatin fatigue: DNA repair alters the chromatin environment and introduces heritable variation in gene expression in a larger region around the lesion! Amazing achievement by @sbantele.bsky.social and Jiri Lukas published in @science.org 🙌 Happy we could contribute. See 👇

Registration is open!🧬 Join us at Egmond aan Zee (April 19–24, 2026) for the next DNA Repair Meeting. We have an amazing line-up of speakers. 📅 Deadline for early registration: Jan 10, 2026 🔗 dnarepairmeeting-egmond2026.com

🧬 List of 2026 DNA repair and genome stability conferences, now updated. Please let me know if there is anything missing! docs.google.com/spreadsheets...

🧵 Our latest preprint is available. It describes an extraordinary case of a boy with two very rare genetic conditions: Fanconi anaemia (FANCB, with a deep intronic pathogenic variant) and embryonic triploid–diploid mosaicism. Read more here 👉 www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1...

Our paper in Science is out! @souravagrawal.bsky.social, @rlynn.bsky.social, @susvirkar.bsky.social, and the rest of the team show human RPA is a telomerase processivity factor essential for telomere maintenance. This reshapes our thinking about telomerase regulation. www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

Want to know how homologous recombination defects are caused upon loss of BRCA2? Check out our recent efforts in uncovering this phenomenon just out in Science! www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

I attended the Australian Cell Cycle, DNA Repair and Telomere Meeting for the first time, and now I wish I could have attended it earlier. Thanks much to the organisers and especially to @genomestability.bsky.social for putting such a nice meeting together. I am looking forward to the future ones!

It was a great honour to present the AGCT (Australian Genome instability, Cell cycle and Telomere) award to Prof Kum Kum Khanna yesterday evening at #ADCTM25. Kum Kum has had an amazing career in discoveries relating to these fields in Australia, and been a remarkable leader and mentor to many.

Poster session 1 was such a hive of activity and discussion at Melbourne museum today! #ACDTM25

Its so awesome to have Alan D'Andrea here in Melbourne today for #ACDTM25. What a great talk framed by his classic work on FA!

Ever wondered what S-phase tastes like? 3 lucky presenter prize winners will find out (+Amazon voucher!) at #ACDTM25. You can still register for this fantastic Melbourne meeting Oct 20-22. Official 10 year old taste tester: "lemon excision repair" is the best flavour www.australiancellcycle.org

The final programme for the Australian Cell Cycle, DNA repair and Telomere meeting is now available online: australiancellcycle.org/final-2025-p... Its not too late to register for the October 20-22 meeting.

Today I am so pleased to present our work on how chromatin remodelers affect mesoscale chromatin organization. www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

Australian Cell Cycle, DNA repair and Telomere meeting draft schedule is now online! Join us with 5 plenary speakers, 16 invited national speakers, 22 selected speakers, 61 poster presenters and lots and lots of fun science. Less than one month to go. australiancellcycle.org/draft-schedu...