Natalia Gromak

Our research focuses on understanding the mechanisms of gene regulation in humans in health and disease. In particular, we study non-canonical RNA/DNA structures, called R-loops. These are three-stranded structures formed during transcription and composed of an RNA/DNA hybrid and a displaced single-stranded DNA. R-loops are formed in all living organisms where they play important biological roles. Dysregulation of R-loops is associated with several human diseases, including cancer and neurodegeneration. We are investigating the molecular mechanisms underlying R-loop functions in humans.

[2025] R-loops in neurodegeneration. Beghѐ, C., Harpham, C., Barberic, Y., Gromak, N. Current Opinion in Genetics and Development – DOI: 10.1016/j.gde.2025.102345 [2023] APOBEC3B regulates R-loops and promotes transcription-associated mutagenesis in cancer. McCann, J.L., Cristini, A., Law, E.K., Lee, S.Y., Tellier, M., Carpenter, M.A., Beghè, C., Kim, J.J., Sanchez, A., Jarvis, M.C., Stefanovska, B., Temiz, N.A., Bergstrom, E.N., Salamango, D.J., Brown, M.R., Murphy, S., Alexandrov, L.B., Miller, K.M., Gromak, N., Harris, R.S. Nature Genetics – DOI: 10.1038/s41588-023-01504-w