DR-235 Exploring focal amplifications across cancers

Cells may grow more quickly when a specific subset of genes called oncogenes are activated. Normally, two DNA copies. each gene are present. Oncogenes may become activated when their DNA copies are duplicated. In some instances, hundreds of oncogene DNA copies have been detected in cancer cells. This process is called amplification. In our project, we want to explore which genes are commonly amplified. We also want to evaluate different mechanisms through which amplification can be achieved, which may be linear amplification, complex amplification, or extrachromosomal amplification. Finally, we would like to study how oncogene amplification relates to patient response to therapy.

Roel Verhaak, The Jackson Laboratory, USA