Junya Tomida

Dr. Junya Tomida is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte (UNC Charlotte), within the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences. His research focuses on DNA repair mechanisms, particularly in prostate, breast, and ovarian cancers. He investigates how defects in DNA repair genes contribute to carcinogenesis, metastasis, and chemoresistance. A central theme of his work is the role of proteins like FAM35A and REV7 in modulating DNA damage responses, especially in BRCA1-defective cells. His lab employs biochemical, molecular, and cell biology techniques, leveraging genomic data from projects like TCGA and ONCOMINE.

Tomida’s laboratory studies the mechanism of FAM35A’s inhibition of end resection at DNA double-strand breaks, which impacts homologous recombination and PARP inhibitor resistance. His work has revealed how FAM35A interacts with REV7, RIF1, and 53BP1 to suppress resection, influencing cancer cell survival strategies. He also explores how copy number variations in Plasmodium vivax proteins affect malaria invasion mechanisms in Duffy-negative individuals.

Dr. Tomida has secured NIH/NCI funding (R03 CA212556-01) and has published extensively on DNA repair pathways, protein interactions, and their implications in cancer and genetic disorders. His research bridges fundamental molecular mechanisms with translational applications in cancer therapy and infectious disease.

Key areas of focus include: (1) FAM35A’s role in DNA repair pathway choice, (2) mechanisms of chemoresistance in solid tumors, (3) interplay between DNA damage signaling and innate immunity, and (4) genetic factors influencing malaria parasite invasion. His work contributes to understanding genome instability’s role in disease progression.