Overview
Topic status: We're looking for students to study this topic.
As the large genomic characterization of multiple cancer types matures, it is clear that we will identify a large number of genes mutated at low frequency in many cancers and the real bottleneck to translating these genomic discoveries into the clinic will be the functional characterization of these genes and the elucidation of the role they play in tumorigenesis.
My laboratory has a focus on endometrial cancer (EC). The Cancer Genome Atlas project based in the USA has committed to performing mRNA sequencing and exome resequencing on 500 endometrial tumours, with data on 150 tumours already released. To facilitate future functional analyses, our la boratory is looking to generate a panel of primary immortalized endometrial epithelial cells (EECs) carrying defined mutations in the most commonly mutated pathways eg. MAPK, PI3K and Wnt/ beta catenin. Ideally we would like these oncogenic mutations to be somatically "knocked in" so they are expressed on the relevant splicing isoform at physiologically relevant expression levels. Several novel technologies exist to do this including recombinant adeno-associated viruses as well as Zinc Finger Nuclease Technology (Sigma). The latter part of the project would involve functionally characterizing 1-2 newly identified EC genes in this panel of genetically modified EECs.
- Study level
- PhD, Masters
- Supervisors
- QUT
- Organisational unit
Science and Engineering Faculty
- Research area
- Keywords
- cancer, gene
- Contact
-
Please contact the supervisors.
Dr Pamela Pollock
Professor Judith Clements
