Much promise exists in cancer precision medicine, in which the identification of the specific mutations in a patient’s tumor allow doctors to tailor appropriate treatments for individual patients. Unfortunately, cancer precision medicine is not yet a reality for most cancer patients, because we cannot fully interpret the clinical impact of the cancer genome. Researchers at the Broad are committed to enhancing cancer genome interpretation via integrated experimental and computational approaches.
As part of the Target Accelerator Initiative and the Connectivity Map Project, we are building systematic frameworks to test the functional impact of thousands of cancer mutations in the laboratory. In addition, we are developing novel computational tools and software that draw on established knowledge to predict the functional impact of mutations detected in individual tumors. These efforts include focused work on predicting responses to new breakthrough cancer immunotherapies and developing functional tests to confirm the immunogenic basis for potential antigens and the recognition profiles of T cell receptors.
Together with hospital partners we are driving the pace and interpretability of clinical sequencing in new ways. We are also forming partnerships with cancer patients and advocacy groups to propel progress.