Survival rates for childhood malignancies have been stagnant, in part due to a lack of a detailed understanding of the molecular mechanisms of action that drive these tumors. My group uses next generation genomic and molecular assays in an attempt to:

1. Detect and define the somatic lesions that drive tumorigenesis of rare and deadly pediatric tumors. In particular, we are interested in translocation events that produce fusion oncogenes of transcription factors. These events are the driving lesions in many of the difficult to treat pediatric sarcomas such as alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma and Ewing sarcoma. Interestingly, we have found that while these fusion oncogenes are often one of the few genetic rearrangements observed in within these tumors, they have profound effects on the transcriptional output of these cells.

2. Resolve underlying tumor heterogeneity and mechanisms of resistance that allow a tumor to progress or relapse after therapy. To accomplish this, we are using and developing novel droplet based methods to barcode and sequence and analyze the expression profile from thousands of cells in a single experiment.

3. Use high-throughput siRNA, small molecule and natural product drug screening to discover precision therapeutics designed to target a tumors underlying genetic or epigenetic drivers. The results of these studies are being rapidly translated into potential clinical trials within the Pediatric Oncology Branch.