Targeting Alternative Lengthening of Telomeres
Many cells make copies of themselves (or replicate) multiple times over the course of a patient’s life. Telomeres, long protective sequences at the ends of chromosomes, will decrease in length as cells continue to replicate. Telomeres will continue to shorten as cells age until the telomeres are too short and the cells die. However, tumors have mechanisms to maintain or lengthen telomeres which enable them to live beyond normal cell lifespans. Ten to fifteen percent of cancers, affecting both children and adults, display a process called Alternative Lengthening of Telomeres (ALT). This process is poorly understood. We will study the genetic and epigenetic factors associated with starting and maintaining ALT in cancers, with the goal of identifying key factors to develop new treatments for these aggressive cancers.
