Dr. McCullough received her doctoral degree in Cellular and Molecular biology from the University of Vermont. She completed postdoctoral training at Oregon Health & Science University and the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, Texas. Research in the McCullough laboratory is focused on the biochemical mechanisms of DNA repair systems and the regulation and roles of DNA repair in cellular responses to environmental stress. Ultimately, we are interested in correlating alterations in these systems with human cancers, aging and other disease states. Currently our research is focused on:  1) cellular pathways for the tolerance and repair of DNA-protein crosslinks; 2) biochemical mechanisms and therapeutic applications of ultraviolet (UV) light-induced DNA damage-specific glycosylases; and 3) mechanisms and regulation of human oxidative DNA damage-specific repair and how defects in these pathways contribute to colorectal cancers and metabolic disease.