Our lab received breakthrough award from Department of Defense to study the function of gene rearrangements underlying immune evasion

Our lab recently received Breakthrough Award from the Congressionally Directed Breast Cancer Research Program of the Department of Defense. This award will support the study of a cryptic class of adjacent gene rearrangements in more aggressive and therapy-resistant breast cancer forms, and examine their function in cancer progression and immunotherapy resistance. Recurrent gene rearrangements that bring together two gene pieces comprise a class of viable genetic targets that have been matched with several latest breakthrough therapies in solid tumors as exemplified by the first FDA-approved tumor-agnostic drug against NTRK rearrangements. However, the pathological roles of this class of genetic aberrations in breast cancer progression remain poorly understood due to the complex rearrangements in their genomes. This project represents a transformative concept in breast cancer genetics interfacing with anti-tumor immune response that has significant game-changing potential. Studying the function of genomic rearrangements in breast cancer progression and immune evasion will shed new light on a dark area of breast cancer genetics, reveal unique, exploitable vulnerabilities, as well as enlighten new immunotherapeutic strategies.