Edward L. Loechler

About

Edward L. Loechler is a Professor of Biology at Boston University, with a PhD from Brandeis University. His research focuses on the molecular mechanisms of carcinogens, particularly how substances like benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P), a potent mutagen-carcinogen found in environmental contaminants such as car exhaust, cigarette smoke, and charred foods, cause mutations that can lead to cancer. Loechler investigates how DNA polymerases, especially Y-Family DNA polymerases, bypass DNA adducts like BP-dG, which are formed when B[a]P reacts with DNA, and how these processes contribute to mutagenesis and cancer causation. His work involves structural and molecular modeling to understand the fidelity of DNA synthesis during lesion bypass, identifying structural elements that influence mutation rates, and elucidating the mechanisms that allow certain DNA polymerases to accurately or inaccurately incorporate nucleotides opposite damaged DNA. His research provides insights into the molecular basis of mutation and carcinogenesis, advancing understanding of how environmental mutagens impact genetic stability.

Research topics

• Chemistry
• Stereochemistry
• Biology
• Genetics
• Molecular biology

Selected publications

• Environmental and Occupational Causes of Cancer: New Evidence 2005-2007

  Reviews on Environmental Health · 2008-01-01 · 361 citations

  reviewSenior author

  What do we currently know about the occupational and environmental causes of cancer? As of 2007, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) identified 415 known or suspected carcinogens. Cancer arises through an extremely complicated web of multiple causes, and we will likely never know the full range of agents or combinations of agents. We do know that preventing exposure to individual carcinogens prevents the disease. Declines in cancer rates-such as the drop in male lung cancer ca…

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• The precautionary principle: protecting public health, the environment and the future of our children

  2004-01-01 · 172 citations

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• Mirror image stereoisomers of the major benzo[a]pyrene N2-dG adduct are bypassed by different lesion-bypass DNA polymerases in E. coli

  DNA repair · 2006-02-20 · 52 citations

  articleSenior authorCorresponding
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• DNA polymerase IV mediates efficient and quick recovery of replication forks stalled at N²-dG adducts

  Nucleic Acids Research · 2014-06-23 · 36 citations

  articleOpen access

  Escherichia coli DNA polymerase IV (Pol IV, also known as DinB) is a Y-family DNA polymerase capable of catalyzing translesion DNA synthesis (TLS) on certain DNA lesions, and accumulating data suggest that Pol IV may play an important role in copying various kinds of spontaneous DNA damage including N(2)-dG adducts and alkylated bases. Pol IV has a unique ability to coexist with Pol III on the same β clamp and to positively dissociate Pol III from β clamp in a concentration-dependent manner. Rec…

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• Homology modeling of four Y-family, lesion-bypass DNA polymerases: The case that E. coli Pol IV and human Pol κ are orthologs, and E. coli Pol V and human Pol η are orthologs

  Journal of Molecular Graphics and Modelling · 2006-01-05 · 29 citations

  articleSenior authorCorresponding
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Recent grants

• Benzo(a)pyrene Mutagenic Mechanisms

  NIH · $5.9M · 1985–2013

• NIH Grant R01CA050432

  NIH · $1.3M · 2003

• NIH Grant R01CA049198

  NIH · $426k · 1997

Frequent coauthors

• Cecilia Cortez

  Pharmacyclics (United States)

  19 shared

• Ronald G. Harvey

  19 shared

• Rosalynn Gill

  SomaLogic (United States)

  18 shared

• Tongming Liu

  Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology

  18 shared

• John DiGiovanni

  Livestrong Foundation

  18 shared

• Min Zhao

  Hebei Medical University

  17 shared

• Nicholas E. Geacintov

  New York University

  17 shared

• Thomas C. Hollocher

  Brandeis University

  11 shared

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