University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus · PharmacologyTelomere Dynamics and Genome Integrity Unit
Patricia L Opresko · Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Research Focus
Dr. Patricia L. Opresko's lab at the University of Pittsburgh focuses on understanding how environmental factors, such as oxidative stress, impact telomeres—structures at the ends of chromosomes that are crucial for maintaining genome stability. The lab employs innovative techniques to induce specific DNA damage at telomeres in various models, including cell cultures and transgenic animals, to study the resulting effects on cellular and organismal health. The ultimate goal is to develop strategies that can either protect healthy cells from damage or inhibit tumor growth in cancerous cells.
telomeresDNA damageoxidative stressexcision repairgenotoxic stresscancer preventionmodel organismsZebrafishtransgenic micegenome stability
Research Aims
5AIM 01Investigate how environmental genotoxic and oxidative stress lead to telomere shortening.
AIM 02Explore the mechanisms of DNA lesion-induced telomere dysfunction.
AIM 03Utilize a chemoptogenetic tool to create specific DNA lesions at telomeres.
AIM 04Measure the cellular and telomeric responses to induced DNA damage.
AIM 05Translate findings from cell culture to animal models to assess their impact on health.
Skills the Lab Values
DNA damage inductioncell culturetransgenic organism techniqueszebrafish modelsanimal handlingmolecular biology techniquesWestern blotPCRflow cytometrychemoptogenetics
Output against the department
Publications166bottom 46% of dept.249th of 462
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations8.4ktop 44% of dept.202nd of 462
this lab
most citedleast cited
Career totals from OpenAlex, compared against labs that share a department. A department spans everything from one paper to tens of thousands, so bar heights are on a log scale — otherwise the largest lab would flatten every other bar to a line.