Targeted Inhibition of EZH2 and BET BRD4 for the treatment of AT/RT

My primary research interests in understanding of genetic- and epigenetic-mechanisms, that promote cancer development and progression, and identify novel therapeutic targets for brain cancer therapy. For these purpose, I have developed a number of unique patient-derived xenograft (PDX) model for human brain tumors. This animal model system has been shown to better preserve tumor characteristics, as manifested in patients, than tumor cell propagation in cell culture. My laboratory also employs the latest genomic/epigenomic technologies to identify novel therapeutic targets, and test the anti-tumor activity of the targeted therapeutics using PDX brain tumor models. Our current efforts have been to identify epigenetic targets and adaptation mechanism in pediatric brain tumors with specific mutation which effect on chromatin machinery.