New research from USC Dornsife scientists reveals how cells fix dangerous DNA damage in hard-to-repair areas of the genome — a process that, when it goes wrong, can lead to cancer and other life-threating diseases. The researchers discovered that a protein called Nup98 helps coordinate DNA repair by moving broken genetic material out of densely packed regions where fixing it is more prone to errors. Nup98 forms liquid droplets around the damaged DNA, creating a protected space that keeps out the wrong repair tools and helps prevent harmful genetic mistakes. The findings offer new insight into how cells maintain genome stability and may help explain how certain mutations in Nup98 contribute to diseases like acute myeloid leukemia.