Stephen Elledge uses genetics and genetic technologies to investigate wide-ranging biological problems related to human disease. Working on a variety of projects in diverse areas of study, Elledge and his team are elucidating critical mechanisms in cell division, cell aging, cancer growth, and protein breakdown and recycling. In addition, they are developing genetic technologies to advance discovery in areas such as autoimmune disease, viral function, and vaccine design.
In a surprising new finding in mice, researchers have discovered that many genes linked to human cancer block the body’s natural defense against malignancies. Using a research assay called VirScan, scientists plan to study how antibodies from people who have had COVID-19 attack the virus that causes it. In humans and macaques, measles infection wipes out antibodies to previous pathogens and could make individuals more susceptible to disease. Until now, such long-term consequences of measles had been unknown. HHMI investigators Stephen Elledge, Roel Nusse and Huda Zoghbi are among the scientists honored for transformative advances toward understanding living systems and extending human life. HHMI Investigator Stephen Elledge of Brigham and Women’s Hospital shares the 2015 Albert Lasker Basic Medical Research Award with Evelyn Witkin of Rutgers University. New technology developed by HHMI researchers makes it possible to test for current and past infections with any known human virus by analyzing a single drop of blood. New evidence suggests that aneuploidy patterns of chromosome deletion or amplification that are recurrent among tumors actually represent a driving force during tumor evolution and are very frequent in cancer. Stephen Elledge recognized for research on DNA repair.