Project 462497

Cancer is associated with an accumulation of alterations in genes that confer the ability of cancer cells to grow uncontrollably. These alterations can contribute to increased deleterious function or loss of function of genes that normally regulate cell growth. Genes in our cells are organized on chromosomes which duplicate every time a cell divides. In addition to alterations in single genes, it is now recognized that large deletions on chromosomes comprising multiple genes are also important events in cancer. My project will focus on a common deletion on chromosome 4p, which is frequently observed in a subset of breast cancer called triple negative breast cancer (TNBC). This subset has no targeted therapies and has the worst survival. The aim of this project is to use recently developed technology to systematically identify which genetic alterations synergize with the loss of chromosome 4p to kill the cell and how perturbations of genes within chromosome 4p cooperate to drive tumorigenesis. This should enhance our understanding of TNBC and offer possible avenues for personalized interventions to individuals diagnosed with the disease.