Understanding the Inner Workings of Tumours
Cancer is a disease of the genome. Mutations can occur in our DNA that affect cells’ abilities to control replication. Uncontrolled cellular division leads to cancer.
Dr. Steven Jones, Canada Research Chair in Computational Genomics, uses computational and genomic methods to accurately identify and interpret these genetic changes. Determining how such mutations contribute to the disease is a key step toward fully understanding cancer biology, including how clinically similar cancers may differ between patients.
The specific combination of genetic changes within a cancer will dictate what drug sensitivities a tumour may have and how it will respond to therapy. Jones and his research team aim to unravel the mystery of which cancers will respond to which drug. They are also exploring which mutations typically make tumours resistant to certain therapies.
Jones’ vision is that in the future, cancer patients will routinely undergo comprehensive genomic analyses of their tumours. This analysis will provide clinicians with the required insight into the molecular workings of the tumour and the most appropriate treatment. Jones and his team hope to develop the tools and knowledge to help make such a vision a reality.