Dr. Jennifer Cobb
Professor and Director of the School
Molecular Life Sciences
- Contact:
- Office: Petch 207b jencobb@uvic.ca 250-721-7077
- ORCID:
- 0000-0002-2027-4098
- Credentials:
- BSc, PhD Tennessee
- Area(s) of expertise:
- Genome stability, DNA repair, chromatin, nuclear organization, cellular aging, and cancer development.
Dr. Jennifer Cobb is a Professor and Director of the School of Molecular Life Sciences. Academic credentials include a BSc and PhD from the University of Tennessee.
Understanding DNA damage repair in cancer and aging
Research Interests
Dr. Cobb studies how cells repair breaks in their DNA and how these repair processes change during aging. DNA double-strand breaks are particularly dangerous because incorrect repair can alter chromosomes and contribute to cancer. Her laboratory investigates how cells choose among several repair pathways and why aging cells become less likely to use the most accurate mechanisms. Using budding yeast as a model, the laboratory can study biological processes that have been conserved throughout evolution. This research provides insight into the molecular connections among aging, genome instability, premature-aging disorders, and cancer.