Lili Wang, MD, PhD

Lili Wang, MD, PhD

Contact Information

Office Phone Number

617-582-8130

Fax

617-632-3351

Appointments

617-582-8130

Biography

Lili Wang, MD, PhD

Dr. Wang received her MD degree from China Medical University, Shenyang, China in 1994, and PhD degree in Immunology from Tokai University, Japan in 2003. She joined Dana-Farber Cancer Institute as a research fellow in 2008.

Research

    Understanding CLL pathogenesis

    A major challenge in the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is the highly variable clinical outcome of patients with this disease, ranging from indolent disease kinetics to a rapidly fatal course despite aggressive therapy. While some prognostic markers for CLL have been established, they are far from reliable.  However, the advent of next-generation sequencing technologies now enables the systematic identification of genetic alterations underlying malignancy.

    We recently sequenced the whole-genomes and whole-exomes of 91 CLL samples with matched germline DNA and identified 9 recurrently mutated genes and 6 pathways involved in CLL pathogenesis. A striking finding from this study was the high frequency of mutations in SF3B1, part of the catalytic core of the spliceosome. 15% SF3B1 mutations is localized to a single region of the gene (with unknown function) with 50% being identical K700E mutations. SF3B1-K700E was also identified as a recurring mutation in myelodysplasia2.  In short, mutations in SF3B1 are positively selected in CLL, alter splicing patterns, and represent a novel oncogenic mechanism in hematologic malignancies.

    We are interested in dissecting the functions of SF3B1 mutation in the pathogenesis of CLL using comprehensive approaches including functional pathway analysis, RNA-Seq, mouse model.  We aim to transform our understanding of disease and identify a novel mechanism that can be targeted for treatment of a clinically progressive subgroup for which effective therapies are presently unavailable. 

    Locations

    Location Avtar

    Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

    HIM Building HIM 421 Boston, MA 02115
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    Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

    Location Avtar

    Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

    HIM Building HIM 421 Boston, MA 02115
    Get Direction
    42.3399, -71.0899

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