iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Alessandra Brambati @alebrambati.bsky.social · 22/01/2026

Life is difficult but @heyzajr.bsky.social you just made my day better. I love it so much, it’s gorgeous

Reposted by Alessandra Brambati

GIIN @genomeiinetwork.bsky.social · 27/11/2025

Join us next Tuesday, December 2 at 5pm (Rome) / 11am (NYC) for an exciting GIIN webinar featuring @peterlylab.bsky.social and @alebrambati.bsky.social! Zoom link: uniroma1.zoom.us/j/95149984403 Register here to become part of our community: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...

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Reposted by Alessandra Brambati

GIIN @genomeiinetwork.bsky.social · 05/11/2025

We thank Evi Soutoglou and @rubenvanboxtel.bsky.social for sharing their exciting data with the GIIN community yesterday! Our next webinar is on December 2nd, featuring @peterlylab.bsky.social and @alebrambati.bsky.social. Do not miss it! Sign up for updates: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...

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Alessandra Brambati @alebrambati.bsky.social · 14/05/2025

Agreed—it’s hard to quantify how often this occurs endogenously. Intron loss (Fig. 5), which captures this repair pathway at the endogenous level, reflects only a subset of mutagenic events. We assume that in most cases, the RT copies from pre-mRNA without leaving a detectable scar in the genome.

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Alessandra Brambati @alebrambati.bsky.social · 12/05/2025

But does RT-DSBR leave a trace? Yes! Analysis of cancer genomes (MSK-IMPACT & PCAWG) revealed whole intron deletions (WIDs)—a mutational signature consistent with RNA being used as a template during repair. (4/5)

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Alessandra Brambati @alebrambati.bsky.social · 12/05/2025

CRISPR/Cas9 screens identified DNA polymerase ζ (Polζ) as essential for RT-DSBR. This translesion polymerase surprisingly acts as a reverse transcriptase—copying RNA into DNA right at break sites. (3/5)

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Alessandra Brambati @alebrambati.bsky.social · 12/05/2025

Using fluorescent and sequencing-based assays, we show that RNA-containing oligos and even mRNA can serve as templates for DSB repair in human cells. But which enzyme enables this RNA-templated process? (2/5)

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Alessandra Brambati @alebrambati.bsky.social · 12/05/2025

Excited to share our latest from my postdoc at @mskcancercenter.bsky.social in the Sfeir Lab, in collaboration with the Simon Powell Lab! We uncovered a novel genome repair mechanism in human cells: RNA-templated DNA double-strand break repair (RT-DSBR). (1/5)

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Reposted by Alessandra Brambati

Lopes_Lab @lopeslab.bsky.social · 17/03/2025

Exciting seminar series from Genome integrity italian Network (GiiN), chaired by myself and Raffaella Di Micco! Short talks (2x30’), at convenient time for EU/USA attendees. Big shots and raising stars in an expanding field. See flyers + link to receive email alerts. Please repost to your network!👇

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Reposted by Alessandra Brambati

Hoodlum 🇺🇸 @nothoodlum.bsky.social · 03/03/2025

A brilliant Banksy.

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Alessandra Brambati @alebrambati.bsky.social · 27/02/2025

Huge thanks to the incredible team who made this work possible! 🙌 Check out the full preprint here: 🔗 doi.org/10.1101/2025... #GenomeInstability #DNARepair #RNA #CRISPR #DSB #Genomics @agnelsfeir.bsky.social @hinashah.bsky.social

doi.org

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Alessandra Brambati @alebrambati.bsky.social · 27/02/2025

🚀 This study highlights RNA as a direct template for genome repair, revealing RT-DSBR as a previously unrecognized repair pathway with potential mutagenic consequences in cancer. (7/)

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Alessandra Brambati @alebrambati.bsky.social · 27/02/2025

🔬But does RT-DSBR leave a footprint in the genome? YES! We analyzed cancer genome datasets (MSK-IMPACT & PCAWG) and found whole intron deletions (WIDs)—a mutational signature of RT-DSBR. (6/)

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Alessandra Brambati @alebrambati.bsky.social · 27/02/2025

🔥 CRISPR/Cas9 genetic screens identified DNA polymerase ζ (Polζ) as the key player in RT-DSBR. This translesion polymerase acts as a reverse transcriptase to copy RNA into DNA at break sites. (5/)

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Alessandra Brambati @alebrambati.bsky.social · 27/02/2025

🧬 Using fluorescent and sequencing-based assays, we show that RNA-containing oligos and mRNA can act as templates for DSB repair in human cells. But which enzyme facilitates this process? (4/)

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Alessandra Brambati @alebrambati.bsky.social · 27/02/2025

💥 DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) are dangerous lesions that threaten genome integrity. While canonical repair pathways rely on DNA templates, we uncovered an alternative mechanism: RNA-templated DSB repair (RT-DSBR). (3/)

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Alessandra Brambati @alebrambati.bsky.social · 27/02/2025

Excited to share our latest work from my postdoc in the Sfeir Lab 🔬, in collaboration with the Simon Powell Lab! 🤝 This project was driven by an incredible team, including the amazing Manisha and superstar Hina! ✨ (2/)

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Alessandra Brambati @alebrambati.bsky.social · 27/02/2025

In the midst of all the NIH & NSF chaos, I want to take a moment to focus on some good news and talk about science! 🧬✨ 🚨 New preprint alert! 🚨 doi.org/10.1101/2025... 🧵👇 (1/)

doi.org

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Alessandra Brambati @alebrambati.bsky.social · 27/02/2025

🧬 But does RT-DSBR leave a footprint in the genome? YES! We analyzed cancer genome datasets (MSK-IMPACT & PCAWG) and found whole intron deletions (WIDs)—a mutational signature of RT-DSBR. (6/)

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Alessandra Brambati @alebrambati.bsky.social · 27/02/2025

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Alessandra Brambati @alebrambati.bsky.social · 27/02/2025

🔬 Using fluorescent and sequencing-based assays, we show that RNA-containing oligos and mRNA can act as templates for DSB repair in human cells. But which enzyme facilitates this process? (4/)

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Alessandra Brambati @alebrambati.bsky.social · 27/02/2025

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Alessandra Brambati @alebrambati.bsky.social · 27/02/2025

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Alessandra Brambati @alebrambati.bsky.social · 13/02/2025

Very excited to be part of the Pharm family! This are confusing time, but I could not ask for a better Department to go through this. Now let’s focus on the science and we will be fine #admaiora

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Alessandra Brambati @alebrambati.bsky.social · 28/01/2025

I hear you, Helen, same here trying to prepare a grant. But we should get going. Science cannot stop!

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Alessandra Brambati @alebrambati.bsky.social · 02/12/2024

Super excited for my first day as Assistant Prof at @cuanschutz.bsky.social in the Dept of Pharmacology! The lab is open, and now I can't wait to do exciting science! #FirstGen #newPI #STEM #AcademicLife #ExcitingScience #PhDLife #WomenInSTEM #MomInSTEM #GenomeStability #CellBiology #DNARepair

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Alessandra Brambati @alebrambati.bsky.social · 02/12/2024

Thanks so much, Tatiana! Could you please add me to Genome Stability II?

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