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Outi Monni, PhD, Academy Research Fellow Oncogenomics | 
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Research
The aim of our research is to identify genes that might have potential biological and therapeutic role in cancer. We are applying different genome-wide approaches to identify genes whose expression is deregulated by genetic alterations (amplification or deletion) and therefore, may reflect alterations causally contributing to tumorigenesis or progression. Oncogene activation by amplification and inactivation of tumor suppressor genes by mutation and/or deletion has an important role in tumorigenesis of many solid tumors. Identification of target genes for genomic alterations may provide potential new targets for diagnostic and therapeutic applications. We are performing a parallel analysis of copy number and gene expression to identify genes that are either under- or overexpressed due to copy number alteration. Our primary focus is on head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, gastric cancer and breast cancer. Our integrated analyses of copy number and gene expression in clinical tumors and cell lines have illustrated that deregulation of hundreds of genes is associated with genomic losses and amplifications across the genome.
A number of frequent tumor type specific copy number and gene expression alterations have been identified but the biological and pathophysiological significance of these alterations is still largely unknown. Our current interest is now to dissect the functional role of the genes we have identified as deregulated due to genomic aberration in epithelial cancers. To identify which of the targets have cancer-relevance we are applying different functional genomics technologies, including biochip-based applications and functional assays to identify novel genes critical in cancer progression and tumor development. Our main goal is to improve our understanding on the molecular basis of these cancers and to identify genes with potential biological or therapeutic relevance.
Page updated June 22, 2011 |
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