Cancer Biology

Program affiliation
Cancer Biology
Molecular Genetics and Genomics
Molecular Cell Biology

Research summary
Long non-coding RNAs and RNA modifications in cancer metastasis and aggressive disease

Key words
Cancer metastasis, multiple myeloma, breast cancer, long non-coding RNAs, RNA modifications, genomics, advanced sequencing, epitranscriptomics

Program affiliation
Immunology
Cancer Biology
Computational and Systems Biology
Biochemistry Biophysics and Structural Biology

Research summary
Understanding how synthetic antigen receptors direct T cell function and dysfunction in the treatment of blood cancers

Key words
CAR T cell therapy, immunotherapy for cancer, T cell signaling, T cell dysfunction, lineage decisions

Program affiliation
Cancer Biology
Molecular Genetics and Genomics
Molecular Cell Biology
Developmental Regenerative and Stem Cell Biology

Research summary
Understand how epigenetic mechanisms and chromatin dynamics contribute towards the development of cancer.

Key words
Epigenetics, chromatin, cancer, mouse models, lymphoma, melanoma, EZH2, PRC2, H3K27me3

Program affiliation
Molecular Genetics and Genomics
Cancer Biology
Developmental Regenerative and Stem Cell Biology
Computational and Systems Biology

Research summary
My research program studies DNA methylation in cancer, with a specific emphasis on understanding the origin, evolution, and functional impact of cancer-associated DNA methylation changes and how these can be used as biomarkers of clinical outcomes.

Key words
epigenetics, methylation, gene regulation, cancer, leukemia, genomics

Program affiliation
Cancer Biology

Research summary
Glioblastoma metabolism, mechanisms of immunosupression, and the development of novel gene-regulatory and immunostimulatory nanotechnologies

Key words

Program affiliation
Cancer Biology
Molecular Cell Biology
Molecular Genetics and Genomics
Biochemistry Biophysics and Structural Biology

Research summary
Examining the role the tumor microenvironment plays in immune modulation, tumor development, metastasis and dormancy

Key words
aging, cancer, microenvironment, RNAi, senescence, telomere

Program affiliation
Cancer Biology
Molecular Cell Biology
Biochemistry Biophysics and Structural Biology

Research summary
Identify and define those molecular features that drive leukemogenesis and then use that information to develop rational therapeutic strategies for improving outcomes in acute leukemia

Key words
leukemia, metabolism, therapy resistance, stem cells

Program affiliation
Cancer Biology
Molecular Genetics and Genomics
Immunology
Molecular Cell Biology
Neurosciences

Research summary
Cancer-Stroma interactions in metastasis

Key words
cancer metastasis; tumor microenvironment, cancer immunology, CRISPR screen, quantitative biology

Program affiliation
Cancer Biology
Molecular Cell Biology
Developmental, Regenerative and Stem Cell Biology
Molecular Genetics & Genomics

Research summary

Key words

Program affiliation
Cancer Biology
Neurosciences

Research summary
The mission of the Thompson Lab is to discover and target molecular drivers of leptomeningeal dissemination of malignant pediatric brain tumors and develop peptide vaccines targeting CMV antigens expressed in brain tumors.

Key words
pediatric brain tumor, medulloblastoma, vaccine, immunotherapy, leptomeningeal dissemination