The Herbert and Florence Irving Institute for Cancer Dynamics will continue its seminar series on the topic of mathematical sciences underpinning cancer research during the 2022-2023 academic year. The monthly seminars take place on the second Wednesday of the month, 2:00-3:00 PM EST. The presentations are open to the Columbia community (in person and online) and to researchers outside Columbia (via Zoom).
On Wednesday, September 13th (2:00 PM ET), IICD welcomes Aaron Viny, MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Assistant Professor of Genetics & Development, Columbia University Irving Medical Center. Seminar hosted by Simon Tavaré, FRS. The seminar will take place in person in Fairchild 700 (Morningside Heights campus). If you wish to attend the seminar remotely, please register using the following link: https://columbiauniversity.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJIvfuqsqTMsGNBhDK8wjxY-kHaWbVYrBOaR
Title: Mapping the Chromatin Switchboard in Normal and Leukemia Stem Cell Fates
Abstract: Normal gene expression is controlled, in part, through careful coordination of gene regulatory elements, including transcription factors, promoter-enhancer interactions, and 3-dimensional chromatin structure. The insulation factor CTCF and the cohesin complex are essential in maintaining the integrity of insulated genomic neighborhoods known as topologically associating domains (TADs). Dynamic short-range DNA loop structures facilitate cell-type specific promoter-enhancer contacts that enable transcriptional programs critical for hematopoietic differentiation. Loss of Stag2, the most commonly mutated cohesin member in human cancer, results in phenotypic myelodysplasia. Using novel low cell input Hi-C technology I identified that only the enhancer, but not the promoter, of the hematopoietic stem cell gene Evi1 shows dynamic loss of accessibility, gain of CpG methylation, and results in eviction of CTCF during myeloid commitment. The result is loss of the DNA loop and transcriptional repression. This observation is consistent with recent descriptions that CTCF-site methylation can have oncogenic potential in solid tumors. Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) are diseases that commonly harbor mutations in genes that regulate DNA methylation, yet the mechanism of leukemogenesis is incompletely understood. Our laboratory aims to use mathematical approaches to establish a hierarchy of chromatin structure and DNA methylation in establishing essential gene regulatory networks in hematopoiesis.
Bio: Dr. Viny is an assistant professor of medicine at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physician and Surgeons. He is a hematologist and medical oncologist and laboratory-based physician-scientist focusing on the study of clonal hematopoiesis, myelodysplastic syndrome, and acute myeloid leukemias. His research uses state-of-the-art 3-dimensional genomic techniques to uncover the genetic and epigenetic underpinnings of these diseases in order to find more precise and less toxic treatment modalities. Dr. Viny received his medical degree at Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine at Case Western Reserve University and completed his residency in Internal Medicine at New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical College and fellowship in Hematology and Medical Oncology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.
