Damon Runyon Researchers

Age is the greatest risk factor for developing cancer due to the continuous and life-long accumulation of DNA mutations. Although we have identified causes of childhood cancer, including the inheritance of cancer-predisposing genes, other major contributing factors have not yet been identified. Blood cancer is the most common cancer in children and sequencing data indicate that the first genetic mutations occur during fetal development. Dr. Wagenblast will use human blood stem cells and CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome engineering to model leukemia evolution and identify biological processes that specifically contribute towards cancer development in children. The goal is to leverage this understanding to identify novel therapeutic targets against childhood blood cancer.