USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center
An NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center
Epigenetic Regulation in Cancer Program
The Epigenetic Regulation in Cancer (ERC) Program, formerly named the Genomic and Epigenomic Regulation Program, focuses on the mechanisms by which cellular genomes, epigenomes, genes, and pathways are maintained and regulated, and how normal regulation is disrupted in cancer. The overarching mission of the ERC program is to discover basic mechanisms of genomic and epigenomic regulation involved in growth and behavior of normal and cancer cells, and translate basic findings into cancer detection, prognosis, and treatment in collaboration with other USC Norris programs. ERC members focus their research on tumor types that represent significant cancer burdens and disparities in our catchment area, including prostate, breast, colorectal, lung, liver cancer, and acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).
The program has two specific aims:
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- Characterize the genomic, epigenomic, and transcriptomic features that are distinct in cancer cells relative to normal cells.
- Define mechanisms that regulate these cancer features at the chromatin, DNA, and RNA level to identify novel potential therapeutic targets.
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The program is led by Bodour Salhia, PhD and Sheng Li, PhD. Dr. Salhia is a translational genomics scientist with extensive knowledge and expertise in mechanisms that underlie tumorigenesis and tumor biology. Dr. Li is a computational biologist with expertise in developing computational tools and sequencing methodologies that integrate multiple functional genomics datasets to extract the identity of the key epigenome dynamics and transcriptional programs that underpin changes in cell state or behavior. The program brings together 37 members from 18 departments and five schools. ERC members lead 3 P and U grants and participate, along with members of all five Programs, in a new NCI U54 Health Equity Center led by TACS and Cancer Epidemiology members. Additionally, ERC members participate in several PhD and MS programs that span the USC community and lead two R25 training programs.