The Cancer Genome Project is part of the cancer, aging, and somatic mutation research based at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute in the United Kingdom. It aims to identify sequence variants/mutations critical in the development of human cancers. Like The Cancer Genome Atlas project within the United States, the Cancer Genome Project represents an effort in the War on Cancer to improve cancer diagnosis, treatment, and prevention through a better understanding of the molecular basis of the disease. The Cancer Genome Project was launched by Michael Stratton in 2000, and Peter Campbell is now the group leader of the project. The project works to combine knowledge of the human genome sequence with high throughput mutation detection techniques.
The project operates within the scope of the International Cancer Genome Consortium, working with the other participating organizations and countries to build a database of genomic changes present in different types of cancer. The somatic mutation information gathered by the project can be located in the COSMIC database. The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute's project currently has several internal partners that each focus on different types of cancer and mutagenesis utilizing different methods. Research goes beyond just sequencing to include therapeutic biomarker discoveries made utilizing bioinformatics programs. Among these discoveries are drug sensitivity biomarkers and inhibitor biomarkers. These discoveries paired with the evolution of DNA sequencing technologies to next-generation sequencing techniques, are important in potential disease treatment and may even help lead to more personalized medicine for cancer patients.
Goals
The goals of the project are to help sequence and catalog different cancer genomes. Beyond just sequencing the project's internal partners each have different areas of focus that will assist in the project's overall goal of determining unique ways for early detection of cancer, better prevention, and improved treatment for patients.
Partners
The following groups are internal partners at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute with labs involved with the Cancer Genome Project that are each carrying out different areas of research involving cancer genomics, other diseases, and therapy improvements for both of the aforementioned.
Garnett Group
The Garnett group is headed by Mathew Garnett. They work to improve current cancer therapies by determining how alterations in the DNA of cells results in cancer and the implications this has involving patient responses to therapy and its potential improvement. The current research being carried out by the group includes the genomics of drug sensitivity, mapping synthetic-lethal dependencies in cancer cells, a new generation of organoid cancer models, and precision organoid models to study cancer gene function.
Jackson Group
The Jackson group is led by Steve Jackson, and their research focuses on how cells utilize DNA-damage response (DDR) to discover and mend damaged cellular DNA. The research they are conducting have large implications involving diseases that result from loss of function of the DDR system, such as cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, infertility, immunodeficiency, and premature aging.
Liu Group
Pentao Liu leads the Liu group, which utilizes genetics, genomics, and cell biology in mice to study the role of gene functions in the development of normal cells and tissues as well as the development of various diseased cells and tissue, including cancer. The group invests a large interest in lineage choice, stem cell self-renewal, and differentiation, which would have implications in early detection, prevention, and therapy options for cancer and other genetic diseases.
McDermott Group
Ultan McDermott heads the McDermott Group. The group utilizes next-generation sequencing technologies, genetic screens, and bioinformatics to increase the knowledge of the effect that cancer genomes have on drug sensitivity and resistance in relation to patients. The different types of genetic screens being used include CRISPR, chemical mutagenesis, and RNAi. The main areas of focus by the group involve the pharmacogenomics of cancer and genetic screens to build a reserve of drug resistances in cancer.