Integrated genomic and genetic analysis to develop cancer therapeutic strategy

Japanese

Laboratory of Cancer Genomics

(Leader: Miki OHIRA, PhD)

Summary of research:

This project applies oncogenomics techniques such as array comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH) and gene expression profiling in the identification of cancer-related genes as well as the risk-classification of tumors. We have been investigating neuroblastoma, hepatoblastoma, brain tumor, hepatocellular carcinoma, lung cancer and so on. In parallel, epigenetic abnormalities such as DNA methylation and expression profiling of non-coding RNAs in these cancers to find novel mechanism related to tumorigenesis and tumor aggressiveness are under investigation.

Mutation search for the important genes which will be useful molecular targets for the future cancer therapeutic strategies is also investigated. Thus, our goal is to translate the outputs to the clinic and establish a forthcoming tailor-made medical system.

Keywords:

DNA chip, Microarray, Gene expression profile, Genome aberration, Array CGH, Mutation, DNA methylation, non-coding RNA, Neuroblastoma, Prognosis prediction, Risk classification, Personalized medicine

Recent main publications:

• Chen Y, et al. Nature 2008; 455: 971-974.
• Tomioka N, et al. Oncogene 2008; 27: 441-449.
• Ohira M, et al. Cancer Cell 2005; 7: 337-350
• Yamada S, et al. Oncogene 2004; 23: 5901-5911.
• Ohira M. et al. Oncogene 2003; 22: 5525-5536.

Databases:

Gene expression data of neuroblastoma (NCBI/GEO: GSE2283)
Array CGH data of neuroblastoma (NCBI/GEO: GSE5784)