The Floyd Lab focuses on studying mechanisms of DNA damage signaling and repair in brain tumor and other mammalian cells. Specifically, we focus on how chromatin changes mediated by epigenetic modifiers affect the DNA damage response. It is our hope that deeper knowledge regarding the DNA damage response will lead to improved cancer treatments, especially for brain tumor patients. 

Dr. Floyd is a radiation oncologist and brain tumor specialist with first-hand knowledge of the devastating impact of brain tumors and side effects of many current cancer therapies. His lab develops small animal irradiation techniques and mouse models of glioblastoma to test the effects of epigenetic writers and readers on the DDR in more clinically relevant model systems. In this way, we hope to identify strategies to augment tumor cell killing, and/or protect the vital normal tissues for the brain. 

Visit Project Brainslice, our Tri-Institutional collaboration to model neurological disease. Visit Dr. Floyd's lab page.