National Cancer Institute
Dr. Pommier is a leader on DNA topoisomerase biology and biochemistry, and their cancer relevance. He revealed the interfacial inhibition paradigm based on molecular mechanisms of topoisomerase inhibitors, and has championed its broad relevance for molecular pharmacology and drug discovery. He discovered the indenoisoquinolines as novel Top1 inhibitors, which are in clinical development, and the mitochondrial topoisomerase gene, TOP1mt. To understand the determinants of response to topoisomerase inhibitors, he is studying the repair pathway centered on tyrosyl-DNA-phosphodiesterases (TDP1 and TDP2) and poly(ADP-ribose)polymerases (PARP).
As Chief, Dr. Pommier oversees the Branch’s clinical/translational research program, which emphasizes new approaches to cancer treatments targeting DNA, epigenetic and chromatin, and connected biomarkers.
