Genetic Studies

Primary Goals

Tumor-based Studies

  1. Study the molecular patterns of BL tumors to better define subtypes for epidemiologic studies;
  2. Study the sequence of the B-cell receptor (BCR) to gain insights into the nature of pre-clinical BL clones.

Germline Studies

  1. Investigate the genetic susceptibility of eBL using GWAS and exomes sequencing methods;
  2. Characterize genetic structure of populations in the eBL belt;
  3. Investigate the association between BL and human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I and II loci.

The genetic studies utilize a variety of tools to answer specific questions that cannot be answered well using questionnaire or serological methods. These studies take advantage of high-throughput scanning for genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and whole or exome sequencing of tumor and germline genomes to study deeper aspects of endemic Burkitt Lymphoma (eBL) biology.

These studies are complex and involve collaboration with scientists from diverse disciplines. They provide exciting opportunities to bridge genetic, epigenetic, viral, immunological, and epidemiologic approaches to investigate the etiology of BL.

These studies fall into two broad categories:

  1. tumor-based studies, and
  2. germline studies.

Publications

Tumor-based Studies

Germline Studies