DR-355 Mapping the germline genetic architecture of cancer using genome sequencing

Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide, but many tumors are treatable if intercepted at an early stage. Thus, new strategies are needed to anticipate and prevent cancer. We will leverage our expertise in germline genome analysis (e.g., Collins et al., Nature, 2020) to jointly analyze HMF patient data with other cancer cohorts to discover new inherited genetic factors that influence cancer onset, progression, and patient outcomes. These studies have the potential to uncover new facets of cancer biology, enable preventative screening tailored to an individual’s inherited genetic risk, and nominate new targets for disease prevention or treatment.

Eliezer van Allen, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, USA