Research

The Center for Functional Cancer Epigenetics (CFCE) explores the key role that epigenetic alterations and abnormal transcriptional regulation play in the development and progression of cancer. A better understanding of these alterations will lead to better diagnosis for cancer and the potential to contribute to the knowledge required for the development of new therapeutics exploiting epigenetic mechanisms.

The Center for Functional Cancer Epigenetics serves as a central resource for Dana-Farber in supporting both unbiased and hypothesis based cancer research involving epigenetics. CFCE collaborates with multiple investigators across basic and clinical research to develop and execute innovative research involving epigenetics experiments and analyses.

CFCE employs technologies such as Chromatin Immunoprecipitation followed by next-generation-sequencing (ChIP-seq), DNase hypersensitivity mapping, gene expression profiling (RNA-Seq) and DNA methylation mapping. It combines these technologies with very strong computational biology expertise to explore the role of epigenetic changes and transcriptional regulation in disease pathogenesis and treatment. CFCE includes faculty with expertise from a variety of disciplines including cell biology, physiology, cancer biology, human genetics, and computational biology.

CFCE is led by Myles Brown and Shirley Liu (co-directors), who oversee the overall scientific and operational activities of the Center, and report to the Chief Scientific Officer/ Office of the President and the CFCE Oversight Committee. Drs. Brown and Liu also work with a larger faculty team of PIs (initially Dr. Kornelia Polyak, Dr. Ramesh Shivdasani, and Dr. Matthew Freedman) and an Associate Director (Dr. Henry Long).

Learn more about the Center for Functional Cancer Epigenetics, including our innovative research and our collaborative opportunities.