Identification Of Novel Low Penetrance Genes Associated With Melanoma Risk
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$399,830.00
Summary
Using pools of DNA samples we will conduct a genome-wide association study for melanoma predisposition genes. The most promising candidate genes will be followed up by sequencing and further geneotyping of additional SNPs in order to identify the causal variants.
Mapping And Identification Of Novel Breast Cancer Susceptibility Genes
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$354,419.00
Summary
Breast cancer is one of Australia?s major cancer problems, but we still do not fully understand why certain people are at higher risk of the disease than others. In recent years two genes have been shown to be abnormal in a small number of people with strong family history of breast cancer and-or ovarian cancer. This study will search for the identity of other genes of this kind. It will take advantage of a large network of researchers which has been working to recruit women with a strong family ....Breast cancer is one of Australia?s major cancer problems, but we still do not fully understand why certain people are at higher risk of the disease than others. In recent years two genes have been shown to be abnormal in a small number of people with strong family history of breast cancer and-or ovarian cancer. This study will search for the identity of other genes of this kind. It will take advantage of a large network of researchers which has been working to recruit women with a strong family history of breast cancer from around Australia over the last two years. In this short time such large numbers of women have come forward that a study of this kind will be among the largest in the world. The results of this research, in terms of location of possible new genes causing high risk of breast cancer, will be shared with other researchers in Europe and the US who are working toward the same goals. This will ensure that progress is as rapid as possible. Based on experience with the two previously discovered breast cancer genes, this research will also shed light on the types of changes that drive the malignancy of breast cancer cells. It will have implications for improved prevention, diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer.Read moreRead less
High Resolution Genome-wide Genomic Analysis Of DCIS To Identify Genes Involved In Disease Initiation And Progression
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$543,370.00
Summary
DCIS is the most common type of noninvasive breast cancer and in some women may progress to malignant disease but little in know about how it develops. We will bring to bear our experience with cutting edge technology and access to extensive clinical resources to the analysis of a large series of pure DCIS with the aim of identifying previously unknown cancer causing genes. This data will lead to the identification of novel breast cancer genes that will assist clinical management.
Primary central nervous system (CNS) tumours, arising in the brain and spinal cord, are the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in children less than 15 years of age. Medulloblastomas and other primitive neuroectodermal tumours (PNETs) are the most common form of primary childhood brain tumours, accounting for 25-30% of cases. Despite notable recent advances in our understanding of the molecular genetic basis of malignancies, the pathogenesis of CNS PNETs remains obscure. To address this prob ....Primary central nervous system (CNS) tumours, arising in the brain and spinal cord, are the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in children less than 15 years of age. Medulloblastomas and other primitive neuroectodermal tumours (PNETs) are the most common form of primary childhood brain tumours, accounting for 25-30% of cases. Despite notable recent advances in our understanding of the molecular genetic basis of malignancies, the pathogenesis of CNS PNETs remains obscure. To address this problem, we propose to apply a novel combinatorial approach for the identification of PNET tumour suppressor genes utilising both representational difference analysis (RDA) and microarray expression profiling. Data from this study will help to elucidate the molecular pathways that are compromised in the initiation and growth of PNETs. This information will have direct implications for the development of improved diagnostic and prognostic indicators necessary for the design of more effective therapeutic strategies for the treatment of PNET patients.Read moreRead less
Identification Of Breast And Ovarian Tumour Suppressor Genes On Chromosome 22 By Functional Complementation
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$249,250.00
Summary
Cancer is fundamentally a genetic disease that arises when errors (mutations) accumulate in genes involved in regulating how and when cells grow. An important class of gene involved in this process are the tumour suppressors whose primary function is to inhibit cell growth. It is widely believed that significant improvements in the treatment and diagnosis of cancer will only be achievable once we have a detailed understanding of how these genes work. It is likely that dozens of tumour suppressor ....Cancer is fundamentally a genetic disease that arises when errors (mutations) accumulate in genes involved in regulating how and when cells grow. An important class of gene involved in this process are the tumour suppressors whose primary function is to inhibit cell growth. It is widely believed that significant improvements in the treatment and diagnosis of cancer will only be achievable once we have a detailed understanding of how these genes work. It is likely that dozens of tumour suppressor genes exist in the human genome and of these only a small proportion have been identified. The aim of this study is to identify genes on human chromosome 22 that are involved in the development of breast and ovarian cancer. Genetic evidence from many investigators, including data from our own laboratory, has indicated that multiple tumour suppressor genes are present on human chromosome 22 but as yet none have been positively identified. Part of the difficulty in identifying these genes is that cancer cells often have a lot of genetic damage and it is hard to distinguish the important changes from background genetic noise'. To circumvent this problem we are using a functional cloning approach which identifies tumour suppressor genes by their ability to inhibit the growth of cancers cells grown in culture in the laboratory. Genes that are identified in this way will be evaluated for the presence of genetic mutations in real human cancers which will give us a better idea of their true significance in tumour development. In addition to enhancing our understanding of the process tumour development this project may identify new targets for anti-cancer therapies.Read moreRead less