Monday, 25 March
1.00pm
Biochemistry Seminar Room BIG13
Dr Joep de Ligt
Hartwig Medical Foundation
Radboud University Nijmegen
Whole genome sequencing: from research to cancer diagnostics and beyond
Metastatic cancers are notoriously difficult to treat, let alone cure, together with hospitals we work on offering comprehensive (whole genome) genetic testing for cancer patients. These data have enhanced our understanding of disease progression and response to therapies and provide a valuable resource for further research. In several studies we characterized the genomic differences between early-stage untreated primary tumours and late-stage treated metastatic tumours using harmonized pan-cancer analysis (or reanalysis) of different cohorts, totalling over 7000 whole-genome-sequenced tumours. Our data showcase the potential of pan-cancer whole-genome analysis to identify distinctive features of late-stage tumours and provide a valuable resource to further investigate the biological basis of cancer and resistance to therapies.