BASIC SCIENCE OF CANCER FOCUS GROUPS

EPIGENETICS AND CANCER

SUMMARY

Program Themes:

• To investigate on a genome-wide scale epigenetic alterations that initiate the expansion of pre-malignant cells during the early stages of tumorigenesis
• To identify genes that have become silenced due to epigenetic abnormalities and thereby contribute to tumor progression by allowing the accumulation of additional genetic and/or epigenetic hits.

Program information: The major focus of this program is to understand how epigenetic alterations as imposed by DNA methylation, covalent modifications of core histones, and local nucleosomal remodeling participate in the development of cancer. Recent studies indicating how these epigenetic processes can lead to heritable changes in gene expression without affecting the primary DNA sequence has led to the realization that genetics and epigenetics cooperate with each other in the development of all forms of cancer. Research in this program, therefore, is dedicated to understanding the molecular mechanisms behind "epigenetic cancer diseases", a prospect that would be potentially important for allowing novel strategies in the development of therapeutic drugs.

MEMBERS

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