Our group is interested in understanding how inherited genetic variation influences predisposition to cancer. A variety of epidemiological and family-based studies have demonstrated that cancer predisposition is a hereditary trait. Despite this knowledge, the nature of the genetic variation that leads to increased cancer risk among some individuals largely remains a mystery. We are attacking this problem using an integrated combination of experimental and statistical/computational approaches, including state-of-the art genomics technologies. Our hypothesis is that by identifying and understanding the functional consequences of the genetic variants that influence cancer risk, we will gain insight into the underlying biology of cancer. This could lead to the identification of potential new targets for therapeutic intervention. Furthermore, identification of such variants could allow clinicians to predict who is at risk for cancer enabling better-tailored individual screening regimens and early detection. By focusing on inherited genetic variation, we are able perform unbiased, genome-wide screens for novel cancer susceptibility genes.
