To identify whether synchronization of p53 pulses through periodic DSB induction was theoretically feasible (Fig. 1A), we used a mathematical model of the p53 DSB response calibrated using MCF-7 breast cancer cells (Mönke et al, 2017) (Fig. 1B) to simulate repeated DSB induction through the radiomimetic drug NCS and analyzed the subsequent p53 response. The gene discussed is TP53; the disease is breast carcinoma.