Non-invasive assessment of early molecular response and detection of minimal residual disease in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) using cell-free methylomes

Research at the Lymphoma Lab is driven by the observation that the outcomes of lymphoma are extremely variable with some patients seem cured or enjoying long remissions while others experience relapse. Treatments that directly target the underlying therapeutic vulnerabilities of a patient’s lymphoma remain unavailable [1]. Lymphoma Lab wants to change this. A comprehensive understanding of the biological underpinnings of lymphoma can lead to improved therapies for patients. One promising approach is detecting mutations in circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) to assess disease status non-invasively [2]. However, its effectiveness is limited by the small number of mutations detectable in targeted sequencing panels, reducing its sensitivity. Enzymatic Methyl-seq (EM-seq), a novel technique, enables the non-invasive profiling of tumor methylomes. Unlike mutation-based methods, EM-seq can analyze thousands of alterations without being restricted by predefined sequencing panels [3]. They hypothesize that methylomes from EM-seq will allow identification of lymphoma specific methylation signatures that can be quantified and tracked over time to determine treatment response. Lymphoma Lab aims to clarify the mechanisms of lymphoma pathogenesis, tumor evolution, and treatment resistance. The lab’s overarching goal is to enhance patient outcomes by deepening the understanding of treatment response variability and advancing personalized therapeutic approaches for lymphoma. More information on the lab can be found at http://kridel-lab.ca/Research/.

Faculty Supervisor:

Gavin Wilson

Student:

Partner:

University Health Network

Discipline:

Computer science

Sector:

Health and Related Sciences & Technology

University:

University of Toronto

Program: