John D. Carpten, PhD
Professor and Chair
Department of Translational Genomics
Professor, Department of Urology
Co-Director, USC Institute for Translational Genomics
Director, USC Molecular Genomics Core

Division of Public Health Sciences, Department of Surgery

“The Impact of Population and Tumor Heterogeneity in Cancer Genome Science”

Precision Medicine is gaining popularity in oncology. The ability to rapidly sequence the tumor and germline DNA and RNA of an individual could revolutionize our ability to match targeted therapies to tumors harboring biologically associated genetic biomarkers.

Although many are using Precision Medicine in selecting treatment for cancer patients, the diversity of both the population and tumors makes it difficult to determine the most optimized and appropriate approaches. This is particularly important as many tumor types disproportionately affect individuals from underrepresented populations.

We are investigating population heterogeneity and cancer genomics to determine if specific somatic alterations are enriched in underrepresented populations, which might in part explain differences in incidence and outcomes in these groups. We are also uncovering differences in tumors that can affect treatment selection and response to specific targeted therapies. Optimizing Precision Medicine in this way will allow for more specific and sensitive testing in hopes of applying the most appropriate clinical management for all patients.