Gliomas account for approximately 30% of primary brain tumours and 80% of malignant brain tumours. A deeper understanding of the genetic and epigenetic alterations occurring in primary brain tumour could help improve prognosis and treatment of an increasing tumour type affecting the human population. Our research aims to define the molecular changes present in high-grade glioblastomas using transcriptomic and epigenomic profiling.

Our recent work has provided some clues about the regions of the human genome that may be associated with the developmental reprogramming characteristic of brain tumours. We are using genetic and epigenetic editing tools to define the regulatory components critical for glioblastoma development.

This work has been funded by the University Hospital Coventry & Warwickshire.