Titia de Lange

Titia de Lange discovered the shelterin complex that protects chromosome ends and elucidated how its dysfunction triggers DNA damage responses that promote cancer genome instability. Her work on t-loop structures and the six shelterin proteins (TRF1, TRF2, POT1, TIN2, TPP1, RAP1) defined the fundamental mechanism of telomere end protection. She has demonstrated how cancer cells exploit shelterin dysfunction to activate ALT and bypass replicative senescence.