I am interested in understanding the epigenetic profiles of human cancers and more specifically the potential for these profiles to be used as markers for early cancer detection and prevention. For many years cancer was thought of solely in terms of genetic mutations. In more recent times, however, the field of cancer epigenetics has become an increasingly prominent branch of cancer research due to the accumulation of evidence for these non-genetic mechanisms (which include alterations to methylation and acetylation patterns, as well as to microRNA expression) vitally contributing to cancer development and progression.
These epigenetic modifications, though capable of being stably transmitted, are also highly plastic and may be reversed contrary to the permanence of genetic mutation. As a result, it is vital to determine the relationship between these changes and the development of genetic mutations since they represent an excellent opportunity for new insight into cancer risk, development, and treatment.
In my research, to illuminate these relationships, I utilize bioinformatic tools to construct pipelines that analyze publicly available genetic and epigenetic data sets for multiple cancer types. These analyses then guide the construction of well-informed wet lab experiments tailored to each cancer type’s specific epigenetic and genetic profiles so as to determine time frames for these modifications and evaluate their potential to serve as markers for early detection and avenues for prevention and treatment.