Physical properties of BRCA1 make in amenable to unconventional treatment options that interfere with or modify the protein to control its function in cells. In the case of healthy individuals therapeutic applications to stabilize the BRCA1 protein may be beneficial as a preventative measure -- either before or following primary interventions. In the case of tumor cells, interfering with the processes that hinder the BRCA1 protein from fully operating may lead to better efficacy to kill cancer cells. Both approaches hinge upon our new structural biology insights related to the 3D properties of the BRCA1 protein. We have also developed new information of how to modulate the BRCA1 in vitro, and we are testing these same aspects of the modification process currently in cancer cells. Preliminary data is very promising.
