Obiettivo Intra-tumoral heterogeneity allows all form of cancers to undergo an evolutionary process in response to selective pressures, such as therapy, which results in a more aggressive disease. As chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) are particularly amenable to evolutionary investigations, it has been shown that CLL’s capacity to escape therapy is linked in to genetic evolution, which is fueled by intra-tumoral heterogeneity. Aberrant DNA methylation can also dysregulates genes involved in CLL pathogenesis. Like genetic alterations, DNA methylation modifications are heritable and subject to natural selection. Landau et al have studied sub-population DNA methylation heterogeneity in CLL and uncovered a large amount of stochastic variation. The acquisition of stochastic DNA methylation alterations enhances epigenetic plasticity and creates a non–genetically encoded source of heterogeneity, fuelling tumour cells in their search for superior evolutionary trajectories. These new data modify the way we understand cancer epigenetics, and offer a new field of investigation: identify “epidrivers”, i.e. somatic epigenetic alterations leading to cancer-heterogeneity and which are positively selected through cancer evolution. Thus, I will pursue in this project four independent yet complementary aims. During my outgoing period I will robustly identify epidrivers from bulk next-generation sequencing (NGS) (Aim 1) and from single-cell NGS (Aim 2) of a large CLL cohort. Candidate epidrivers uncovered from the first two aims, will be further validated in a large-scale epigenome editing screen (Aim 3). Then building upon technological development from Aim 2 and 3, during my returning period at Curie Institute, I will extend this important paradigm to solid tumor by exploring breast cancer evolution (Aim 4).This integrative analysis of epigenetic heterogeneity will enable the reconstruction of tumor epigenetic population complexity and how it shapes disease relapse and evolution. Campo scientifico scienze naturaliscienze biologichegeneticaDNAscienze naturaliscienze biologichebiologia evoluzionisticascienze mediche e della salutemedicina clinicaoncologiatumore al senoscienze mediche e della salutemedicina clinicaoncologialeucemiascienze naturaliscienze biologichegeneticaepigenetica Parole chiave DNA methylation Clonal evolution CLL Breast cancer Programma(i) H2020-EU.1.3. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Main Programme H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility Argomento(i) MSCA-IF-2016 - Individual Fellowships Invito a presentare proposte H2020-MSCA-IF-2016 Vedi altri progetti per questo bando Meccanismo di finanziamento MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF) Coordinatore INSTITUT CURIE Contribution nette de l'UE € 264 668,40 Indirizzo Rue d ulm 26 75231 Paris Francia Mostra sulla mappa Regione Ile-de-France Ile-de-France Paris Tipo di attività Research Organisations Collegamenti Contatta l’organizzazione Opens in new window Sito web Opens in new window Partecipazione a programmi di R&I dell'UE Opens in new window Rete di collaborazione HORIZON Opens in new window Altri finanziamenti € 0,00 Partner (1) Classifica in ordine alfabetico Classifica per Contributo netto dell'UE Espandi tutto Riduci tutto Partner Le organizzazioni partner contribuiscono all’attuazione dell’azione, ma non sottoscrivono l’accordo di sovvenzione. CORNELL UNIVERSITY Stati Uniti Contribution nette de l'UE € 0,00 Indirizzo Pine tree road 373 14850 Ithaca ny Mostra sulla mappa Tipo di attività Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Collegamenti Contatta l’organizzazione Opens in new window Sito web Opens in new window Partecipazione a programmi di R&I dell'UE Opens in new window Rete di collaborazione HORIZON Opens in new window Altri finanziamenti € 172 130,40
