Correlations in Colon Cancer — The NIH has awarded Dr. Leonard Augenlicht a $3 million grant over five years to investigate the genetic basis of sporadic (non-hereditary) colon cancer, which accounts for more than 80 percent of colon cancer cases in developed countries. Being older (50 and over) and consuming an unhealthy diet are the major risk factors for this type of cancer. Dr. Augenlicht’s team will use several novel techniques to find how age and diet interact to cause the mutations in intestinal stem cells that appear to be key players in causing colon cancer. One of those techniques—single-cell whole-genome sequencing—was developed by co-investigator Dr. Jan Vijg. This technique will determine both the quantity and types of mutations that affect these stem cells. The researchers’ aim is to better understand how tumors develop and come up with new approaches for preventing colon cancer and detecting it early. Dr. Augenlicht is professor of medicine and of cell biology, as well as director of the Biology of Colon Cancer Program and associate director for translational research of the Albert Einstein Cancer Center. Dr. Vijg is professor and chair of genetics, and professor of ophthalmology and visual sciences.
Posted on: Thursday, June 12, 2014