Duke University · PharmacologyReplication Stress and Cancer Vulnerabilities Lab
Lee Zou · Durham, North Carolina
Research Focus
Dr. Lee Zou's lab at Duke University focuses on understanding the challenges cancer cells face during DNA replication, known as replication stress. By investigating how different oncogenic events cause distinct replication problems, the lab aims to uncover the vulnerabilities in cancer cells that can be targeted for therapy. The research also explores how RNA influences DNA replication and the broader effects of replication stress on tumor microenvironments, which could lead to novel treatments for cancer.
DNA replication stresscancer therapyoncogeneATR checkpointRNA impactgenomic instabilitytumor microenvironmentDNA repairBRCA mutationspoly(ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors
Research Aims
5AIM 01Define and characterize different types of replication stress in cancer cells.
AIM 02Investigate how RNA affects DNA replication and repair processes.
AIM 03Explore the cell non-autonomous effects of replication stress in tumor populations.
AIM 04Identify distinct vulnerabilities in cancer cells arising from altered DNA replication.
AIM 05Enhance therapeutic strategies targeting replication stress in cancer treatment.
Skills the Lab Values
DNA repair assayscell culture techniquesgenetic transcription studiesWestern blottingRNA sequencingtumor microenvironment modelingbiochemical assaysflow cytometrymolecular signaling analysisdata analysis with Python
Output against the department
Publications337top 22% of dept.100th of 462
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations23ktop 14% of dept.63rd 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.