The nature of dark matter (DM) remains an unsolved problem in physics today. Efforts to characterise DM have required experimentalists to strive for improved analysis and modelling of signals at DM detectors. Thus, improved theoretical models are being developed to better describe the elastic scattering of weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs) with nuclei, with a particular interest in enhanced study of the nuclear response functions associated with various target detector isotopes. 

We build on this study by investigating the sensitivity of said nuclear responses to nuclear structure, through state-of-the-art large-scale nuclear shell model calculations for a wide range of DM experimental targets. The nuclear uncertainties in these responses due to shell model interaction choice are quantified for various WIMP scattering channels, and the effect on the scattering rates is discussed for several direct detection experiments. In addition to nuclear physics information, the rate depends on several inputs, such as the high energy particle physics content as well as the DM halo velocity distribution. We investigate the interplay in the modelling uncertainties between these inputs and the aforementioned nuclear responses. We also discuss the effect of nuclear modelling on the calculation of bounds on model parameters, such as the scattering cross-section exclusion curves.