Karen L. Thijssen

Helicase-deficient TFIIH causes severe disease features via persistent DNA excision without damage removal

The paper shows that helicase-deficient TFIIH causes severe disease by trapping DNA in a futile repair cycle, leading to persistent excision without lesion removal.

RNA polymerase II processing facilitates DNA repair and prevents DNA damage-induced neuronal and developmental failure

This study shows that RNA polymerase II processing prevents DNA damage-induced neuronal and developmental failure in TC-NER defects by enabling backup repair pathways.

Regulation of XPG-DNA damage binding dynamics by pre- and post-incision nucleotide excision repair factors and EXO1

This study investigates how XPG function is regulated during nucleotide excision repair through dynamic interactions with TFIIH, XPA, and EXO1, revealing mechanisms of XPG recruitment and dissociation from DNA damage.

Recovery of protein synthesis to measure transcription-coupled DNA repair in living cells and tissues

The paper introduces a new assay, Recovery of Protein Synthesis (RPS), to measure TC-NER by tracking protein synthesis recovery after DNA damage, showing its utility in living cells and tissues.

C. elegans TFIIH subunit GTF-2H5/TTDA is a non-essential transcription factor indispensable for DNA repair

This study shows that GTF-2H5 is essential for DNA repair in C. elegans but not for viability, highlighting its role in transcription and repair processes.