Radio- and chemotherapy work by damaging the DNA of cancer cells, but malignant cancers, like glioblastoma, often regrow more resistant to therapy. Surprisingly, treated tumors don’t always have new mutations in their DNA, prompting the question: How did treatment change the tumor?
We believe that non-genetic chemical “scars” on DNA from therapy make cancer cells more aggressive. This theory is hard to study because radio- and chemotherapy cause random DNA damage. To overcome this, we developed an experimental system that creates DNA damage at precise locations, providing a clear map of the damage.
Our research shows that DNA damage leaves non-genetic changes in cancer cells’ blueprints, such as DNA methylation and changes in gene expression. We believe these non-genetic changes help cancer cells behave more aggressively and resist treatment. By understanding how these alterations occur, we aim to develop therapies that prevent cancer cells from adapting to treatment.
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