Cancer Epigenetics: Mutations, Functions and Therapies

There has been increasing awareness of the interplay between mutations and epimutations in driving the initiation and progression of cancer. Specific genetic mutations of epigenetic regulators may cause widespread epigenetic alterations, and epimutations similarly predispose to genetic alterations either locally or across the genome. The field has seen a dramatic shift in the past decade from a pure genetic to a mixed genetic/epigenetic explanation of cancer. From the discovery of the alterations, along with significant structural biology and chemistry, new agents with therapeutic potential have arisen. This GRC series focuses on the discovery and functional characterization of novel recurrent genetic and epigenetic alterations, the molecular mechanisms underlying epigenetic mutations and epigenetic changes in cancer, as well as the development and applications of epigenetic therapies in cancer. Recent discoveries on tumor heterogeneity and tumor immunity as well as their interactions with cancer epigenetics also bring new excitement to the field. The development of high throughput "omics" techniques, such as mutational and epigenetic profiling, chemical and genetic screens, proteomics, has greatly accelerated research in this area. Need for computational algorithms and analyses integrating such "omics" data to model epigenetic regulation in cancer also becomes critical. Developments and discoveries on cancer genetics and epigenetics will have far-reaching implications to our capacity to understand tumor initiation and progression, to decipher the pathways and molecules involved, as well as to devise new strategies for prevention and treatment. We hope to attract leaders from academia and industry for stimulating discussions on cancer genetics and epigenetics, from mutation profiles, to mechanistic and functional characterization, to cancer therapies.