Cancer and other genetic diseases are not only driven by genetic alterations of the DNA sequence, but also by epigenetic changes- chemical modifications on top of the DNA and the nucleosomes around which the DNA is wrapped. We now know quite well how genetic alterations of genes drive disease, thanks to extensive mapping efforts. However, we still know very little about the function of epigenetic alterations, especially at regulatory regions away from genes. These regulatory regions control gene expression, splicing, DNA replication, and intra-chromosomal interactions, and therefore have a profound impact on the function of cells in health and disease.

At the Drier lab at the Lautenberg center for immunology and cancer research, we aim to uncover the role of non-genic regulatory elements and how their disruption drives cancer and other genetic diseases. Our scientific approach combines epigenomic profiling, development of computational models and algorithms, and experimental validation. We study regulatory mechanisms of chromosomal interactions, DNA replication, splicing and gene expression, their disruption in disease, and their role in pathogenesis. We leverage this knowledge and tools to predict novel therapeutic targets for the development of new drugs and develop models to better predict patient outcomes to help guide treatment plans for patients.