FANCF is a DNA repair protein that may operate in a postreplication repair or a cell cycle checkpoint function. It may also be implicated in interstrand DNA cross-link repair and in the maintenance of normal chromosome stability. The protein localises to the nucleus, where it functions as part of a larger assembly of Fanconi anaemia proteins. Researchers studying genome maintenance often use the FANCF protein as a marker of this pathway, alongside tools such as a FANCF antibody or FANCF ELISA kit.

The FANCF gene encodes the protein for complementation group F. HGNC places it in the FA complementation groups and the FA core complex gene groups. The Fanconi anaemia complementation group currently includes FANCA, FANCB, FANCC, FANCD1 (also called BRCA2), FANCD2, FANCE, FANCF, FANCG, FANCI, FANCJ (also called BRIP1), FANCL, FANCM and FANCN (also called PALB2). These members do not share sequence similarity. They are related by their assembly into a common nuclear protein complex. The mouse ortholog is Fancf.

Fanconi anaemia is a genetically heterogeneous recessive disorder characterised by cytogenetic instability, hypersensitivity to DNA crosslinking agents, increased chromosomal breakage and defective DNA repair. FANCF takes its name from the complementation group it defines in this disorder. Earlier nomenclature used the names Fanconi anaemia complementation group F and the alias FAF, which may still appear in older literature and databases.