Follow up of breast cancer GWAS through drug repositioning and CRISPR screens

Mostly through the efforts of the Breast Cancer Association Consortium, and the Consortium of Investigators or Modifiers of BRCA1/2, genome-wide association studies of breast cancer risk have identified over 200 risk loci. However, as with other complex traits, it is a challenge to move beyond GWAS to identifying the target tissues, genes and pathways. Part of the impetus for doing so, stems from the knowledge that the likelihood of a new drug progressing through the pipeline to approval, is greatly increased if it has genetic support. I will discuss two ‘post-GWAS’ projects a) functional CRISPR screens to identify putative breast cancer risk genes with relevant functions, and b) investigating repurposing a drug developed for sickle cell anemia for breast cancer prevention and treatment.

Professor Georgia Chenevix-Trench is Distinguished Scientist at the Queensland Institute of Medical Research in Brisbane, Australia, and Fellow of the Australian Academy of Sciences. She is the author of more than 500 peer-reviewed papers, and has been instrumental in the collection of public resources such as kConFab, the Australian consortium for research into familial breast cancer. She founded the international Consortium of Investigators of Modifiers of BRCA1/2, and is a founding member of the Breast Cancer Association Consortium, which together have identified over 200 breast cancer susceptibility loci since the advent of genome-wide association studies. The major focus of her current research is to identify the target genes at these loci though functional CRISPR screens, and to identify opportunities for drug repositioning.

All members of the University are welcome to join, please let reception at BDI know you’re here for the seminar and sign-in. We hope you can join us!

As a reminder, the (gen)omics seminar series is intended to increase interaction between individuals working in genomics across Oxford. We encourage in-person attendance where possible. There is time for discussion over, tea, coffee and pastries after the talks.