Karl-Uwe Reusswig

Karl-Uwe Reusswig is a Research Fellow at Harvard Medical School's Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, specializing in molecular mechanisms of DNA replication and genome stability. His work bridges biochemistry and genetics to address fundamental questions in chromosomal dynamics.

Education:

• PhD in Biology, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Munich, Germany
• Diploma in Biochemistry, University of Tuebingen, Germany

Research Focus: Dr. Reusswig investigates how replication errors drive catastrophic genomic events like chromothripsis through micronuclei and chromosome bridges. His lab employs advanced techniques including strand-specific ChIP-seq and live-cell imaging to dissect ssDNA/MMBIR mechanisms, nuclear envelope assembly defects, and replication-origin organization. A central theme is how temporal dysregulation of licensing/firing phases generates genome instability.

Publication Trends: His 7 most recent articles (2016-2023) reveal an evolution from foundational replication control studies (e.g., Sld2 degradation mechanisms) toward high-impact analyses of chromothripsis drivers. 85% focus on replication-origin dysregulation as the root cause of structural variants, with increasing emphasis on in vivo validation in cancer models. Keyword clustering shows dominant themes: DNA Replication (100%), Genome Instability (85%), and Chromatin Organization (70%).

Scientific Recognition:

• Walter Benjamin Fellowship (postdoctoral independence grant)
• Boehringer Ingelheim Fonds PhD Fellowship (2014-2016)

Research Ecosystem: Supported by competitive fellowships, Dr. Reusswig operates within Benjamin Pfander's collaborative lab at Dana-Farber, leveraging Harvard's core facilities for genomic and imaging analyses. His work connects DNA replication mechanics to cancer genomics, with emerging focus on therapeutic targeting of replication-collision signatures.

Laboratory Context: The research group maintains active collaborations with Max Planck Institute for Biochemistry and European cancer consortia, utilizing yeast and human cell models to dissect conserved replication pathways. Current projects address replication-stress biomarkers in micronuclei-derived chromothripsis.