Research group - Dr Eric van Dyck

Activities

Beyond their role in preventing genetic instability and tumorigenesis, DNA repair and epigenetic mechanisms also contribute to the resistance of cancer cells to chemotherapeutic genotoxics. These mechanisms are responsible in great part for the failure of current anti-glioma therapies. Our research group is developing several approaches (including differential shRNA screens, multiplexed gene expression analyses and studies in xenograft animal models) to better understand the DNA repair and epigenetic factors that operate in glioblastoma and identify critical therapeutic targets to prevent chemoresistance.

A second line of investigation explores fundamental aspects of the mechanisms underlying centromere dynamics as well as heterochromatin expression in mammalian cells.

Close collaborators include Drs R. Golbrunner and M. Timmer (Uniklinik Köln), Drs F. Sholtes and D. Martin (CHU Liège) and Dr Y.G. Yang (Beijing Institute of Genomics).

Research projects

• Identification of novel molecular targets for temozolomide-based therapies against glioblastoma: a comprehensive shRNA-based screen of DNA damage response factors.
• Impact of DNA repair genes and associated miRNAs in GBM biology and resistance to temozolomide: study of TMZ-positive and TMZ-negative GBM cohorts.
• Epigenetic factors mediating heat-shock-induced expression of heterochromatin in human cells.