معرفی
Jiri Lukas serves as Executive Director of the Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Protein Research (CPR) within the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences at the University of Copenhagen, where he leads the Lukas Group. His laboratory focuses on understanding protein pathways that orchestrate spatial and temporal dynamics of chromosomes during the mammalian cell cycle and following DNA damage, with particular emphasis on how these mechanisms are subverted in cancer and other diseases associated with unstable genomes.
His primary research interests include:
- Protein signaling pathways in DNA damage response
- Chromosome dynamics during cell cycle progression
- Mechanisms of replication stress and DNA repair
- Chromatin modifications following DNA damage
- Real-time imaging of signaling and repair proteins
- High-content microscopy screens for genome caretakers
Lukas's research has revealed fundamental mechanisms including ubiquitin-driven signaling pathways that barcode chromatin near DNA lesions to assemble repair proteins, the heritability of chromosomal lesions generated on unreplicated DNA during mitosis, and the concept of rate limitation of nodal signaling components to confine repair reactions to damaged genomic loci. His publication record demonstrates consistent high-impact contributions to the field, with research appearing in top-tier journals including Nature, Science, and Cell, showing particular strength in understanding DNA damage response mechanisms and replication stress.
His significant scientific recognition includes:
- Fernström Foundation Grand Nordic Prize (2016)
- Leopold Griffuel Prize (2014)
- Election to the European Academy of Cancer Sciences (2014)
- Election to the Royal Danish Academy of Sciences and Letters (2012)
- Danish Society for Cancer Research Award (2010)
- Danish Cancer Society Senior Research Prize (2008)
- Election as EMBO Member (2002)
As Executive Director of CPR since 2012, Professor Lukas has overseen significant growth in protein research capabilities while maintaining an active laboratory program. His work bridges basic science with potential clinical applications in cancer treatment, particularly through understanding how genome instability contributes to disease development. The Lukas Group maintains active collaborations across multiple institutions and has developed innovative approaches for studying DNA damage response in real time.
