Despite the analysis of tens of thousands tumor genomes, it often remains unclear which are the key driver mutations in a given cancer, and how these influence pathogenesis and response to therapy. However, it is becoming apparent that different mutations across tumors recurrently hijack the same hallmark molecular pathways and networks, emphasizing the importance of knowledge about the underlying biological networks, including physical interactions among proteins and synthetic-lethal and epistatic interactions among genes.
The Cancer Cell Map Initiative (CCMI), which was created in collaboration with Trey Ideker at UCSD, is aimed at comprehensively mapping these complex interactions in healthy and cancer cells, using a combination of physical interaction, genetic interaction, and computational approaches. This work will enable us to analyze cancer molecular networks with a view towards pathway and network-based personalized therapy.
We currently focus our efforts on Breast and Head and Neck Cancers, as well as cancers associated with infections by viruses, such as HPV, HCV or HBV.