iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Bret Freudenthal @freudlab.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

Latest collab out in Cell: ~1 mil ribos are embedded per human genome, non-random in distribution. Telomeres are a hotspot with a distinct G-strand rA signature. Watch for future work on how they impact telomere biology! A wonderful collaboration led by the Storici lab. www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...

cell.com

Human nuclear ribomes reveal DNA-embedded ribonucleotides as epigenetic modulators of transcription-associated DNA supercoiling

Human nuclear ribomes reveal that DNA-embedded ribonucleotides accumulate at promoter-associated regulatory elements and scale with transcriptional activity. RNase H2 and Top1 process these ribonucleo...

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Scott Delaney @scott-delaney.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

Check out our new @grantwitness.org website! 18 months ago, we launched as a humble Google Sheet listing 8 terminated NIH grants. Today, we’ve launched a new site tracking tens of thousands of grants and new awards at several different agencies. THANK YOU to everyone who's made this possible! 🧵

grantwitness.org

Grant Witness

An independent, up-to-date, grant-level record of federal science funding disruptions in the United States.

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Bret Freudenthal @freudlab.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

First day of 6th grade. Go get em boys!

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KU | The University of Kansas @universityofkansas.bsky.social · 06/07/2026

Bret Freudenthal, a professor in KU’s Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, works to develop more effective cancer treatments through DNA repair. 🧬 KU encourages collaborative research to deliver global solutions straight from the heartland. 🔗 bit.ly/3QT7gkC

A blue and red DNA model. Text reads, KU research into DNA repair delivers new cancer treatments.

KU professor Bret Freudenthal holds a small piece of equipment while a colleague looks on. Text reads, The research of KU professor Bret Freudenthal into DNA repair mechanisms provides insights for targeting cancer cells and developing more effective chemotherapies. Freudenthal, a professor in the Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, won a 2026 University Scholarly Achievement Award.

A portrait of Freudenthal. Text on a blue background reads, Freudenthal is an internationally recognized leader in the field of DNA repair whose work has advanced our understanding of how DNA damage leads to disease.

A researcher inspects equipment in a laboratory. Text on a blue background reads, Freudenthal’s research has led to breakthroughs in developing more effective cancer treatments through DNA repair, making a positive difference in people’s lives.

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Bret Freudenthal @freudlab.bsky.social · 11/08/2026

After the World Cup left KC, we squeezed in a few trips to close out the summer. Cape May, Wyoming mountains, and wake surfing in Utah/FoCo. The boys start school tomorrow, so this was the last hurrah.

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Bret Freudenthal @freudlab.bsky.social · 11/08/2026

7/Wonderful collaboration with Sarah Delaney's lab (Brown), Sheila David's lab (UC Davis), and Emmanuelle Bignon lab (Lorraine), plus cryo-EM support from @CryoEM_PNCC and the KUMC EM facility.

static.klipy.com

Moira Rose: If That Isn't Teamwork

ALT: Moira Rose: If That Isn't Teamwork

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Bret Freudenthal @freudlab.bsky.social · 11/08/2026

6/ This fits MUTYH as a post-replicative enzyme working at the fork, and gives a mechanistic explanation for elevated G to T transversions in histone-bound DNA after oxidative stress.

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Bret Freudenthal @freudlab.bsky.social · 11/08/2026

5/ MUTYH needs to engage both strands with its N- and C-terminal domains. Modeling shows it cannot do that in an NCP without clashing into the histones. Steric exclusion, not altered lesion presentation, is the barrier.

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Bret Freudenthal @freudlab.bsky.social · 11/08/2026

4/ MD simulations from the Bignon lab agree: the same two-state conformational exchange and the same local backbone perturbations in nucleosomal and non-nucleosomal DNA.

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Bret Freudenthal @freudlab.bsky.social · 11/08/2026

3/ Why? Not because the lesion looks different. Our group solved Cryo-EM structures at SHL+2, +3, +4, and -6 all show 8oxoG in the syn conformation, Hoogsteen paired with A, matching non-nucleosomal DNA.

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Bret Freudenthal @freudlab.bsky.social · 11/08/2026

2/ The Delaney lab used globally substituted NCPs covering 34 unique 8oxoG:A positions, MUTYH excised A from essentially every site in duplex DNA but from only two sites in the nucleosome, both at SHL-6.5 in the entry/exit region (thanks David lab as well).

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Bret Freudenthal @freudlab.bsky.social · 11/08/2026

1/ Latest publication from the Freudenthal lab in Biomolecules: 8oxoG:A base pairs are structurally accommodated in the nucleosome, yet effectively invisible to MUTYH. doi.org/10.3390/biom...

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Bret Freudenthal @freudlab.bsky.social · 12/07/2026

What an incredible game to round out the World Cup in KC!

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Bret Freudenthal @freudlab.bsky.social · 29/06/2026

What a soccer weekend! Kicked things off at KC House, where I heard about exciting things happening in KC, then headed to a wild Algeria vs Austria match with great friends. Beautiful game, even better company. ⚽️🇩🇿

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Barack Obama @barackobama.bsky.social · 18/06/2026

To George and Laura, Bill and Hillary — we're grateful for your friendship, counsel, and devotion to this country. And to Joe and Jill, thank you for being on this journey with us.

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Bret Freudenthal @freudlab.bsky.social · 17/06/2026

Bucket list checked. Arrowhead was fully taken over by Argentina last night and the passion was unreal. We took the boys to watch them beat Algeria 3-0, capped by the first world cup hat trick for Messi. Started at KC FanFest, ended watching history. One we’ll never forget. 🇦🇷⚽️

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Bret Freudenthal @freudlab.bsky.social · 05/06/2026

How does a DNA repair enzyme find a needle in a haystack? 🧬 Our latest paper in NAR, led by the one and only C-trap queen Kaitlin Dehart, uses single-molecule imaging to watch APE1 scan DNA and lock onto AP-sites. @lumicks.bsky.social academic.oup.com/nar/article/...

academic.oup.com

A dynamic search mechanism enables APE1 to identify AP-sites in DNA

Abstract. Apurinic/apyrimidinic (AP) sites are among the most frequent DNA lesions, arising thousands of times per cell each day. These lesions threaten ge

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Bret Freudenthal @freudlab.bsky.social · 04/06/2026

Thanks Priyanka and it has been wonderful collaborating with you!

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Bret Freudenthal @freudlab.bsky.social · 03/06/2026

Huge thanks also to the team that made this video and captured the lab so well, the colleagues and collaborators who shaped how I do science, and the KU Cancer Center and KUMC for building a place that values people and mentorship. @kucancercenter.bsky.social @universityofkansas.bsky.social

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Bret Freudenthal @freudlab.bsky.social · 03/06/2026

I am honored to receive a 2026 University Scholarly Achievement Award from KU. They say it takes a village. Mine took a village and then some: my lab, my trainees, my family. The award has my name on it, but it is theirs. They do they hard work and make this the best job ever!🙏 youtu.be/o-KcgX3IiP8

youtu.be

Bret Freudenthal, University Scholarly Achievement Award

YouTube video by The University of Kansas

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Bret Freudenthal @freudlab.bsky.social · 01/06/2026

Save the date: the 26th Annual Midwest DNA Repair Symposium heads to Indiana, June 4 to 6, 2027. See you there.

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Bret Freudenthal @freudlab.bsky.social · 01/06/2026

And none of it happens without my co-organizer Ryan Barnes and members of the Freudenthal and Barnes labs who kept everything running smoothly. Couldn't have done it without you. Thank you also to our 14 sponsors for making it all possible, particularly the NIEHS and KUCC.

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Bret Freudenthal @freudlab.bsky.social · 01/06/2026

Our keynote speakers gave inspiring talks, and the trainees absolutely hit it out of the park. We were proud to hand out 17 trainee awards (nearly $8,000 in travel/awards).

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Bret Freudenthal @freudlab.bsky.social · 01/06/2026

But the people made it. Supportive, generous, and kind in that unmistakably Midwestern way. While it is currently a challenging moment for academic science in America, it was a much needed reminder of why I love this work: the people, the science, and the trainees.

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Bret Freudenthal @freudlab.bsky.social · 01/06/2026

That's a wrap on the 25th Annual Midwest DNA Repair Symposium at the University of Kansas Medical Center. Two days, 175 attendees, 4 keynotes, 22 talks, and 85 posters of genuinely incredible science (also some fun socializing of course). I am still smiling, but a bit tired. 🧬🌻

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Edwin Antony @professorantony.bsky.social · 27/05/2026

www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6... New research space for the group: RNA binding proteins! Been chipping away at this for about 3 years now. But, pretty cool to see how a single PTM in an IDR changes overall configurational states of ordered domains.

biorxiv.org

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Bret Freudenthal @freudlab.bsky.social · 20/05/2026

A season of change in the lab. 🎓 Hooding ceremony for Spencer Thompson who is headed back to the clinic. 🧬 Zach Onyszchuk joins the lab as a graduate student 🔬 Nicholas @nicholaswashton.bsky.social joins the lab as Senior Scientist Excited for what's ahead!!

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Bret Freudenthal @freudlab.bsky.social · 11/05/2026

Action packed Mother’s Day weekend celebrating Jean, cheering on Pierce at his big improv show and watching Grayson’s team bring home tournament gold. This is what great moms do, even on the weekends meant to celebrate them. Grateful for you, Jean. ❤️

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Bret Freudenthal @freudlab.bsky.social · 27/04/2026

We are excited to have Nicholas join the team and see what amazing science we can do together! Also a great connection to the Barnes lab to help with the synergy across our groups.

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Bret Freudenthal @freudlab.bsky.social · 10/04/2026

Big congrats to Spencer Thompson on defending his thesis today! Beautiful @lumicks.bsky.social C-Trap single-molecule work and a major MD/PhD milestone. Proud PI! BioRxiv coming soon.

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Bret Freudenthal @freudlab.bsky.social · 09/04/2026

Abstract deadline approaching (April 15) for the Midwest DNA Repair meeting. Join us for an exciting meeting with outstanding science and valuable networking. Register and share. $100 includes meals, networking, and social events. sites.google.com/view/kumc-mi...

sites.google.com

Midwest DNA Repair

The 25th Annual Midwest DNA Repair Symposium will be held at the University of Kansas Medical Center in Kansas City, Kansas, on May 30–31, 2026. The meeting will take place in the Health Education Bui...

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Bret Freudenthal @freudlab.bsky.social · 25/03/2026

Great way to wrap up the ski season at Steamboat over spring break last week on a wonderful trip with family and friends. The boys definitely leveled up and are now hitting black diamonds! ⛷️

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Bret Freudenthal @freudlab.bsky.social · 12/03/2026

Great seminar visit to UC Riverside hosted by Linlin Zhao. Excellent discussions with a terrific group of trainees and scientists exploring a wide range of exciting science. Thanks to Linlin for the warm hospitality!

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Bret Freudenthal @freudlab.bsky.social · 04/03/2026

Great first Fusion meeting! 🧬 Presented our telomere/ribonucleotide work. Huge congrats to Abbey Vito for winning Best Poster and Most Engaged 🏆👏 Always great catching up with friends in the field. And the weather didn’t hurt ☀️

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Bret Freudenthal @freudlab.bsky.social · 17/02/2026

Wonderful few days skiing in New Mexico. Every trip the boys get stronger, more controlled, and confident. It is fun to watch the progression in real time. Some fresh snow helped too!

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Kevin M. Kruse @kevinmkruse.bsky.social · 11/02/2026

So, to wrap up today's insanity: President Trump, who is deeply implicated in a pedophilia scandal involving his best friend, the sex trafficker, sent Attorney General Bondi -- who only has that job because Trump's first choice was also implicated in a separate pedophilia scandal -- to the House...

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Rachel Bitecofer @rachelbitecofer.bsky.social · 04/02/2026

“What do you think the odds are that person is a goat fucker?!” Grade A trolling

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Jennie Mason @jenmasonphd.bsky.social · 04/02/2026

Such a great conference for trainees and early career scientists. Going back for the first time last year (since leaving the Midwest) this conference felt like home. Such a wonderful supportive DNA repair community. Awesome science and even better people!!

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Mark Hedglin @hedglinlab.bsky.social · 04/02/2026

This 👇is such a great opportunity for young scientists in the field. I “grew up” on this conference & still hold so many meaningful relationships to this day that I made at these conferences.

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ramsdenlab.bsky.social @ramsdenlab.bsky.social · 03/02/2026

Great conference!!

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Bret Freudenthal @freudlab.bsky.social · 03/02/2026

📣 The 2026 Midwest DNA Repair Symposium is coming to Kansas City (registration is open) 🗓 May 30–31, 2026 ✨ Talks will be selected from abstracts, with a strong focus on trainees and new investigators. Please RT & share with your labs! 🔗 sites.google.com/view/kumc-mi...

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Bret Freudenthal @freudlab.bsky.social · 27/01/2026

🎉Kicking off 2026 with our first paper from the Freudenthal lab in NAR. Ribonucleotides reshape telomeric G4s and are resistant to RNase H2 repair. Congrats to the authors and huge thanks to our collaborator Hui-Ting Lee! academic.oup.com/nar/article/...

academic.oup.com

Effects of ribonucleotides on telomeric G4 formation, dynamics, and initiation of ribonucleotide excision repair by RNase H2

Abstract. Human telomeres are composed of TTAGGG repeats that can fold into G-quadruplexes (G4s). G4s can form several different conformations, including p

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Bret Freudenthal @freudlab.bsky.social · 21/01/2026

Fun filled weekend in San Diego and LA! Really nice to escape the cold and catch up with Mark and Amiel.

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