Samson specializes in human DNA repair.[1][9] Specifically, her lab's goal is to "understand the biology, the biochemistry, and the genetics of numerous DNA repair pathways that act upon DNA alkylation damage."[1] This is applicable to human cancer research, because alkylating agents are used extensively in chemotherapy and other cancer treatments.[1] She is researching "how eukaryotic cells respond to alkylating agents."[1] Alkylating agents are drugs which work by replacing a hydrogen with an alkyl group, with the end result being DNA damage.[10][11] Alkylating agents inhibit protein synthesis and damages rapidly dividing cells, among which cancer cells are primarily affected because they divide so rapidly.[12] She measures cells' ability to resist the toxicity caused by DNA-damaging agents, like alkylating agents.[6]