MYC is a protein involved in regulating genes and is linked to 70% of all tumors. It can reprogram how a cell interprets its DNA, which can lead to cancer. This research focuses on understanding how MYC causes these changes in cells. Using innovative techniques like BANC-seq and CasTuner, the study investigates how the amount of MYC determines the outcomes of this reprogramming. The results will provide fundamental insights into how such proteins reprogram cells and help us better understand how cancer develops, paving the way for new treatment options.

Transcription, the process of copying the DNA to RNA, is a dynamic process that is regulated by many factors. In this research, a novel advanced microscopy technique will made available for a wide range of regulatory factors. With this technique, individual regulatory proteins will be visualized when they bind to the DNA of a single gene, while simultaneously measuring how much the gene is transcribed. This will reveal how the dynamic DNA binding of regulatory factors regulates transcription.

Stem cells are vital for our health. In the intestine, they maintain the organ, and allow it to heal after damage. Changes in these cells in the intestine are known to cause diseases including cancer and ulcerative colitis. In this proposal we will study these cells in order to understand how they make the proteins they need, and how this process is hijacked by disease. In doing this we can potentially identify ways to modify this, improving the health of the organ.

Cracking the TCR code with scalable molecular tools We aim to better understand how the immune system can recognize disease by examining the interactions between T cell receptors (TCRs) and disease-associated antigens. These interactions are currently hard to study at scale. We will develop tools that allow high-throughput screening to identify TCR-antigen binding pairs. We will then train an artificial intelligence model to predict immune interactions. This project will extend our toolbox to gain critical knowledge about our immune system, paving the way for engineering T cell therapies, vaccines, and diagnostic tools.

Young adult cancer patients (18-39 years) form a unique group. While they try to achieve developmental milestones, they are confronted with a life-threatening, for their age rare disease, and its aggressive treatment. This study will examine which young adult cancer patients are at risk for poor health outcomes and why.