The Canadian Pediatric Cancer Genome Consortium: Translating next-generation sequencing technologies into improved therapies for high-risk childhood cancer.
Characterizing pediatric cancers through comprehensive genome review. Using the genetic information to find new therapies.
| Project Leaders | Poul Sorensen |
|---|---|
| Project Co-Investigators | Michael Taylor , Cynthia Hawkins, Nada Jabado, David Malkin, Annie Huang, Conrad Fernandez |
| Involved Organizations | |
| Funding Agencies |
CPCGC: improving cancer outcomes.
Overview
Cancer is the most common cause of non-accidental death in children and remains an unacceptable socioeconomic burden for Canada and Canadian families. A considerable proportion of childhood cancers remain incurable or can only be cured with treatments that leave a child with life-long mental or physical disabilities.
The aim of this project is comprehensively interrogate the genomes of four pediatric cancers and possibly discover new targets for therapy for these devastating diseases.
A group of highly accomplished Canadian researchers and clinicians who are experts in childhood cancer and novel DNA sequencing technologies are using “next generation sequencing technology” to scan the entire genomes of each of four of the most challenging childhood cancers known. They will directly compare the genetic code of primary tumour cells and tumour cells that have spread, or relapsed, in medulloblastoma, osteosarcoma, diffuse instrinsic pontine glioma and atypical teratoid Rhabdoid tumour. Thereby uncovering the genetic abnormalities that allow tumour cells to spread or become resistant to treatment.
Recent Publications:
- Schwartzentruber J, Korshunov A, Liu X, Jones DT, et al. Driver mutations in histone H3.3 and chromatin remodelling genes in paediatric glioblastoma. Nature. 2012 March 9; 482(7384):1-8.
- Sturm D, Witt H, Hovestadt V, Khuong-Quang D, et al. Hotspot Mutations in H3F3A and IDH1 Define Distinct Epigenetic and Biological Subgroups of Glioblastoma. Cancer Cell. 2012 16 October;22(4):425–437.
- Khuong-Quang D, Buczkowicz P, Rakopoulos P, Liu X, et al. K27M mutation in histone H3.3 defines clinically and biologically distinct subgroups of pediatric diffuse intrinsic pontine gliomas. Acta neuropathologica. 2012 October 1;124(3):439-47.
- Northcott PA, Shih DJ, Peacock J, Garzia L, et al. Subgroup-specific structural variation across 1,000 medulloblastoma genomes. Nature. 2012 August 2; 488:49-56.
Contact Details
For all project related inquires please contact us.
Karen Novik, Project Manager
Genome Sciences Centre, BC Cancer Agency
Email: knovik@bcgsc.ca
Phone: 604-675-8000 x 7983
Alla Sekunova, Projects Coordinator
Genome Sciences Centre, BC Cancer Agency
Email: asekunova@bcgsc.ca
Phone: 604-675-8000 x 7977