Somatic mutation burden and aging in human skin
Dr. Shain's research background is in cancer biology, but recent breakthroughs have led him to focus his research on how DNA damage can drive both cancer and aging. As the cells in our body accumulate mutations over time, they lose their ability to carry out normal, day-to-day functions. Skin an important organ for this area of research because it is a barrier tissue that absorbs the brunt of environmental DNA damage. Dr. Shain has developed an approach to measure mutations in individual skin cells, and he will use these technologies to understand how DNA damage drives aging in human skin.
