Peter C. Scacheri, PhD, Case Western Reserve University
Chia-Lin Wei, PhD, The Jackson Laboratory
01/18/2021 - Travel Form Due
02/18/2021 - Abstracts Due
Meeting #: Refer to your packet.
Hours: 8:00am – 8:00 pm EST M-F
Domestic: 669-210-8002
International : 623-516-6140
Hilton Denver Inverness
200 Inverness Drive West
Englewood, CO 80112
303.799.5800
Forbeck Forum Information
Travel Information
General Program
Frequently Asked Questions
How to donate to WGFRF
The purpose of this meeting is to explore the formation and function of extrachromosomal DNA (ecDNA) amplifications in cancer. In recent years, driven largely by advances in genomics and DNA sequencing technologies, we have learned that extrachromosomal DNA is far more prevalent in tumors than previously appreciated. ecDNA is present in 20-40% of all human cancers and is particularly common in aggressive cancers notoriously difficult to treat, such as brain cancer. Moreover, our inability to effectively treat cancer is due to an innate ability of ecDNA cancers to evolve in response to environmental stressors. We have further come to learn that circular ecDNAs incorporate active gene enhancer elements that provide a selective growth advantage beyond that of the oncogene alone. This highlights an additional layer of regulatory complexity in canonical cancer driver events that will need to be considered to maximize targeted cancer therapies for patients. This Forbeck Forum seeks to unite investigators focused on ecDNA biology with experts in cancer genetics studying structural variation, epigenomics, and gene regulation. There are several key basic and translational questions that remain unresolved. What genetic processes drive ecDNA formation? What are the “rules” governing regulation of oncogenes on ecDNA? How does ecDNA impact cellular function? Can we use this knowledge to drug previously undruggable targets? We expect the open sharing of new ideas will facilitate collaborations designed to advance our fundamental understanding of how human cancers form and evolve, and how to potentially exploit this new understanding for precision oncology.
ecDNA is a red-hot topic. Industry has expressed a keen interest targeting cancers caused by ecDNA amplifications. The field is poised to make major advances that have translational implications for many cancer patients.
| Participant | Institution |
|---|---|
| Howard Chang, MD, PhD | Stanford University |
| Anindya Dutta, MD, PhD | University of Virginia |
| Andrew Fire, PhD | Stanford University |
| Anton Henssen, MD | Charité - University Medicine Berlin |
| Marcin Imielinski, MD, PhD | Weill Cornell Medical College |
| Yonglun Luo, PhD | Aarhaus University |
| Stephen Mack, PhD | Baylor College of Medicine |
| Paul Mischel, MD | Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research |
| Birgitte Regenberg, PhD | University of Copenhagen |
| Peter Scacheri, PhD | Case Western Reserve University |
| Noriaki Shimizu, PhD | Hiroshima University |
| Clelia Tiziana Storlazzi, PhD | University of Bari, Italy |
| Roel Verhaak, PhD | The Jackson Laboratory of Genomic Medicine |
| Chailin Wei, PhD | The Jackson Laboratory of Genomic Medicine |
| Benjamin Werner, PhD | Barts Cancer Institute |
| Jonathan Whetstine, PhD | Fox Chase Cancer Center |
| Scholar | Institution |
|---|---|
| Ofer Shoshani, PhD | Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, UCSD |
| Massa Shoura, PhD | Stanford University School of Medicine |
| Sihan Wu, PhD | Children's Research Institute, UT Southwestern |
Denver International Airport (DIA) is approximately 1 hour from the meeting location.
The abstracts should be only one or two paragraphs outlining the theme of your presentation and should reflect the objective and spirit of the meeting (see above). Abstracts will be circulated about one week before the meeting. The meeting organizer will start requesting them a month before the meeting.
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