Bertuch named Sidney L. and Donald F. Faust Chair of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology

Dr. Alison Bertuch has been named the Sidney L. and Donald F. Faust Chair of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology. Dr. Bertuch is an internationally recognized figure in research aimed at understanding the mechanisms of telomere maintenance, structure and function. She employs a yeast as a model system to rapidly identify and investigate the genes governing telomere homeostasis. Of particular interest is set of proteins previously shown to be crucial for the rejoining of DNA breaks that paradoxically also function at telomeres. In addition, her laboratory studies the role of telomere dysfunction in the development of bone marrow failure in children. She hopes to exploit the knowledge gained from these studies to aid in the treatment of bone marrow failure as well as cancer. She is chair of the Molecular Genetics B (MGB) Study Section of the National Institutes of Health Center for Scientific Review