Capucine Van Rechem, PhD
Massachusetts General Hospital
2014 Skacel Family Scholar
Copy Gain and Resistance: Uncovering Roles for Epigenetic Regulation in Ovarian Cancer
A major issue in the treatment of ovarian cancer is the development of resistance to standard chemotherapy. Such drug resistance has been linked to the gain of a specific genomic region, 1q12-1q21. Dr. Van Rechem recently demonstrated that the amplification of a regulator of genome organization, KDM4A, is associated with a faster time to death in ovarian cancer patients and also caused 1q21 gain. Therefore, the project will investigate the function of KDM4A in promoting drug resistance in ovarian cancer. These studies will bridge molecular mechanisms and clinical relationships so that disease mechanisms and possible treatment options for ovarian cancer patients can be identified.