Michael Lisby Copenhagen

Professor Michael Lisby is a Professor of Genome Integrity in the Department of Biology at the University of Copenhagen. His research focuses on the spatio-temporal organization and regulation of homologous recombination (HR), a central DNA repair pathway essential for maintaining genome stability. Using a combination of cell biological and genetic approaches, his laboratory studies HR in both human cells and the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae to uncover conserved molecular mechanisms that safeguard the genome. A key emphasis of Professor Lisby’s work is understanding how chromatin structure, post-translational modifications, and the dynamic assembly of HR protein complexes regulate DNA repair in living cells. His research addresses fundamental mechanisms underlying cancer predisposition, neurological disorders, and premature ageing syndromes, and also explores the controlled use of homologous recombination in CRISPR-Cas9–based genome editing technologies. Their research directions are illustrated by key works including "Single-cell spatial transcriptome reveals cell-type organization in the macaque cortex", and "An Arabidopsis single-nucleus atlas decodes leaf senescence and nutrient allocation".