Grant: Doctoral: Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships

Lymphomas, which are cancers of the immune system, are the fifth most common cancer in Canada. Lymphomas can arise when cells acquire changes in their DNA (called mutations) that affect regions (called genes) that encode regulators of cell growth. Identifying mutations present in lymphoma DNA but not normal DNA from the same person can suggest ways to target therapies to affect the tumor but not normal cells. Intriguingly, several of the most frequently mutated genes are involved in packaging the DNA so that it fits into the nucleus of the cell. The manner in which the DNA is packaged is very important, because it affects the manner in which genes are interpreted by the cell. One gene, MEF2B, is frequently mutated in lymphomas, and is thought to be involved in DNA packaging. My objective is to determine if and how mutations in MEF2B can contribute to causing lymphoma. I will investigate how MEF2B mutations affect DNA packaging, cell growth, and the frequency of lymphoma in mice. I hope to improve our understanding how abnormal DNA packaging may contribute to the development of lymphoma. If certain DNA packaging changes are specific to cancerous cells, we may be able to selectively kill cancer cells by designing drugs that target DNA packaging changes.