DR-462 Defining a Pan-Cancer Heterochromatin Instability Signature

This project aims to define a computational framework to identify gene expression signatures that reflect heterochromatin instability across multiple cancer types. Heterochromatin is vital for preserving genomic stability, and its dysregulation is linked to cancer progression. By harnessing large-scale genomic data from The Cancer Genome Atlas and patient tumor profiles from the Hartwig Medical Foundation, the study integrates bioinformatic analyses to pinpoint key genes and pathways implicated in heterochromatin dysfunction. Ultimately, this research seeks to uncover a robust “heterochromatin instability signature,” providing potential insights for personalized oncology and improved patient outcomes.

Aniek Janssen, Universtair Medisch Centrum Utrecht (UMCU), the Netherlands