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We are excited to announce the launch of F1000Prime’s newest Section: Cancer Genomes & Epigenomes.

In this blog, our Director of Operations for F1000Prime, Steven Lokwan Ph.D., explains why we decided to add this Section as well as introduces our Section Heads and inaugural Faculty Members for Cancer Genomes & Epigenomes.

With almost 17 million new cases of cancer diagnosed worldwide in 2018, it’s an unfortunate fact that almost everyone knows someone who has been touched by this disease. Furthermore, owing to lifestyle changes and as the number of individuals living to advanced age increases, it is predicted that this figure is set to increase to as many as 27.5 million new cases a year by 2040. As a consequence, it is becoming an increasing priority to combat this disease both in terms of preventive measures and therapeutic strategies; key to this is understanding the underlying mechanisms that result in changes to the genes that control cell growth and development that lead to the dysregulation of tissue growth and differentiation, namely cancer.

Historically, genetic research on cancer has focused on two main areas: the overexpression of oncogenes, which promote cell growth and division; and the loss, or under-expression, of tumor suppressors, which inhibit growth. However, more recently, epigenetic changes to the genome, for example changes in DNA methylation, histone modification and changes in chromosomal architecture, have also been shown to have a significant role.

As such, the importance of genetic and epigenetic changes in the development of cancers cannot be overstated, and the explosion of research related to this field, especially in recent years, certainly reflects this. It is, therefore, fitting that we recognize the increasing importance and prominence of research in combating cancer with a dedicated Section in F1000Prime for Cancer Genomes & Epigenomes, which we launch today.

I am pleased to welcome Stephen B Baylin and Paul C Boutros as our Section Heads for Cancer Genomes & Epigenomes:

Stephen B Baylin is the Virginia and D.K. Ludwig Professor for Cancer Research, Professor of Oncology, Co-Director of the Cancer Biology Division and Associate Director for Research Programs of The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins Medicine, USA.

His research interests focus on epigenetic and genetic modifications other than those that occur in DNA that affect cellular behavior, silencing of tumor suppressor genes and tumor progression. Specifically, his research investigates the mechanisms through which variations in tumor cells arise, as well as cell differentiation in cancers such as medullary thyroid carcinoma and small cell lung carcinoma.

“Our Section will endeavor to provide context to the ever-exploding body of data and publications in genetics and epigenetics, bridging the many disciplines of science involved to enrich our understanding of both normal and disease scenarios.” – Stephen B Baylin

Paul C Boutros is the Director of Cancer Data Science for the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, Associate Director of Cancer Informatics at the Institute for Precision Health, and Professor of Urology and Human Genetics at UCLA, USA.

His research focuses on the development of clinically useful biomarkers using genomic and data science techniques, and specifically investigates the impact of big data on cancer care to determine how cancer data science can be utilized to create new biomarkers that can be used to tailor therapies for patients.

“The deluge of published articles on genetic and epigenetic changes during cancer development and progression reflects an intensity of discovery that is almost overwhelming. We have launched this section in hopes to help researchers filter the literature to find the articles they really need to know about.” – Paul C Boutros

Their Section covers all aspects relating to both inherited and acquired genetic and epigenetic changes in the genome that lead to cancer, in particular, the following:

• Clinical cancer genomics
• Clinical cancer epigenomics
• Germline-somatic integration
• Computational cancer genomics
• Somatic evolutionary genomics

We are also delighted to welcome so many prominent and leading figures in the field as our inaugural Faculty Members for Cancer Genomes & Epigenomes and look forward to reading their recommendations on the key articles they feel you shouldn’t miss in their respective fields:

• Daniel De Carvalho (Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Canada)
• Amit Dutt (ACTREC, Tata Memorial Center, India)
• Jan Dumanski (Uppsala University, Sweden)
• Syed Haider (Breast Cancer Now Toby Robins Breast Cancer Research Centre, UK)
• Housheng Hansen He (University Health Network Toronto, Canada)
• Jean-Pierre Issa (Coriell Institute, USA)
• Han Liang (University of Texas MD Anderson, USA)
• Bogdan Pasaniuc (UCLA School of Medicine, USA)
• Hui Shen  (Van Andel, USA)

The launch of the Cancer Genomes & Epigenomes Section further enhances coverage of disciplines in our Genomics & Genetics Faculty, and I certainly look forward to reading our newest Members’ opinions and insights on the advances made in their respective fields. So remember to sign-up for email alerts to ensure you never miss a key article!