Research Project
10270211
CANCER GENETICS AND GENOMICS PRORGRAM ? PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT The Cancer Genetics and Genomics (CGG) Program seeks to better understand the cancer genome and leverage novel insights into cancer genomics to improve outcomes for cancer patients. The three main research themes of the CGG Program include: (1) invention of cancer genome and transcriptome profiling technology; (2) development of computational tools and resources for interpreting cancer genomes and transcriptomes; and (3) implementation of high-throughput genetic-screening technologies to comprehensively map cancer dependencies. The program is co-led by Adam Siepel and Christopher Vakoc, and includes 15 members. During the last five years, CGG Program members have produced new technologies for analyzing structural changes to the genome and defining their impact for patient prognosis, including an emerging focus on aneuploidy. In addition, multiple technologies have been developed for the ultra-sensitive detection of rare cancer cells in human tissues, which have transformative potential for early detection and to guide the timing of aggressive chemotherapy treatment. With its expanding focus on computational approaches, the CGG Program is revealing novel attributes of cancer genomes and transcriptomes at single-cell resolution. This rich genomic information fuels the high-throughput screening efforts carried out by several Program members, which is revealing new targets for therapeutic intervention. A key philosophy of the CGG Program is to integrate wet- bench scientists, computational biologists, and oncologists at all stages of the technology-development process, which allows for a seamless evolution from concept to clinic. CGG scientists are working closely with oncologists at Northwell Health to design clinical studies that are evaluating the diagnostic potential of the technologies they are developing. The success of CGG Program initiatives is represented by the 198 papers (188 publications and 10 preprints) from Program members. Among them, 41 (21%) resulted from intra-programmatic collaborations, 46 (23%) resulted from inter-programmatic collaborations, 149 (75%) involved collaborations with investigators at other institutions, and 87 (44%) were published in journals with an impact factor greater than 10. Among the 15 Program members, 13 (87%) co-authored at least one article with another member of the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) Cancer Center. Peer-reviewed funding in the Program increased from $2.3 million in 2015 to $3.2 million in 2020. Program members are supported by 12 R01-equivalent grants among 6 members. Collectively, the CGG Program represents the latest innovations in genome technology and computation, and continues to drive discovery research within the CSHL Cancer Center.
