Our research
Our research aims to provide new insights into a key aspect of human biology: the somatic evolution of cancer cells. We examine how cancer's progression, relapse, and treatment resistance result from an evolutionary process driven by genetic variations. This genetic diversity is crucial, enabling cancer cells to evolve and adapt to the pressures imposed by therapeutic treatments. Moreover, the evolution of cancer involves a range of heritable factors beyond genetics, including epigenetic variation.
Therefore, our study of cancer encompasses multiple inheritable aspects at the single-cell level, which is the primary unit of somatic evolution.
The aim of our research program is to develop and employ both computational and experimental approaches in genomics and epigenomics. These approaches are essential for studying cancer evolution and analyzing single-cell multi-omics data, allowing us to delve into the various aspects of diversity that propel tumour evolution. From a clinical perspective, the adaptability of cancer cells significantly hinders the complete success of oncological therapies. This underscores the importance of understanding the evolutionary mechanisms leading to diverse tumor subpopulations. Our goal is to discover fundamental principles in evolutionary biology and cancer cell biology, thereby informing the design and application of more effective cancer therapies.
Our laboratory's current projects include:
Investigating the influence of non-genetic/epigenetic alterations, such as DNA methylation or chromatin factors, on malignant cell states.
Examining the phenotypic plasticity of these malignant cell states.
Assessing the impact of external factors, like the tumor microenvironment, on malignant cell states.
Join our team.
Our goal is to build a diverse, collaborative community of scientists of all levels.