Genomics and bioinformatics analysis to understand castration-resistant prostate cancer

PCa is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in American men. Androgen deprivation therapies (ADT) that target and suppress androgen receptor (AR) are the mainstay treatment of advanced prostate cancer. A majority of PCa initially responds well to ADT and is called androgen-dependent prostate cancer (ADPC). However, nearly all PCa treated with ADT become resistant to this treatment over a period of months or years, resulting in castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC), a lethal disease. Understanding the molecular events driving CRPC progression is essential for the development of novel therapeutics to eradicate CRPC. The goal of the applicant is to utilize genomic and bioinformatics approaches to integrate big data to identify the key factors leading to drug resistance in prostate cancer.