Investigating Microbial Influences in Breast Cancer
In the Oncopathogenomics laboratory, we combine genomic analyses with functional experiments in primary human tissues and cell lines, to investigate how somatic genomic alterations synergize with microbial influences to modulate tumor initiation, progression, response to therapy and prognosis. The principal investigator is a corresponding author in the recently published paper by the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) on the “Integrated genomic and molecular characterization of cervical cancer” (http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/vaap/ncurrent/full/nature21386.html)
Using the most up-to-date genomics analytical tools, we have identified the presence of bacterial nucleic acid sequences in breast cancer tissues. We also have very exciting preliminary data suggestive of associations between microbe abundance patterns and various subsets of breast cancer.
In this project, we seek to perform functional characterization of the effect of bacterial products on breast tumor growth. This will involve ectopic expression of bacterial genes in cell lines to assay for their phenotypic effects on cellular proliferation, migration, invasion, etc. We will also test for the effects of these bacterial products on tumor response to therapy.
Depending on the progress made during the project, there will be opportunities for genomic investigation of lysates from our experiments. This will likely be associated with opportunities to learn how to perform some genomic analyses.
This work has great promise for illuminating the mechanisms of cancer, development of diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic strategies, and the prevention of cancer.
Contact Information
Akinyemi Ojesina, MD, PhD
ojesina@uab.edu
617-304-5385
