Rui Cui

Rui Cui is a Guest Researcher at the University of Copenhagen's Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, and Molecular Aging Program, based in Copenhagen, Denmark. Contactable via phone (+4535324771) and email (cuirui@sund.ku.dk), Cui investigates chromosomal instability mechanisms and their impact on human diseases including cancer, neurodegeneration, and infertility.

Research centers on genome maintenance pathways, with emphasis on common fragile sites as models for difficult-to-replicate genomic regions and the characterization of ultra-fine anaphase bridges (UFBs)—DNA structures connecting sister chromatids during mitosis. UFBs are coated with proteins like PICH and BLM helicase (mutated in Bloom's syndrome), studied through protein biochemistry, molecular/cell biology, high-resolution imaging, and microfluidics-based single-molecule techniques for in vitro DNA metabolism reconstitution.

Recent work trends show a focus on mitotic regulation, exemplified by the 2025 EMBO Journal article on anaphase bridge signaling to the abscission checkpoint, revealing how UFBs influence cell division fidelity and disease pathogenesis. This aligns with broader efforts to link defective genome maintenance to cancer predisposition.

Cui operates within the Hickson Group, a research team dedicated to understanding disease-causing mutations in genome maintenance genes. Collaborative efforts span country-level networks in molecular aging research, leveraging advanced biophysical tools to dissect DNA metabolism pathways.